Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Persuasive Techniques Bluff: Free Printable Game for Year 8
- ForYear 8
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Persuasive Techniques Bluff is a free printable game for Year 8 (ages 12 to 13), in Key Stage 3. Players give a short speech with a hidden persuasive technique, and the others listen and try to name it. It takes about 20 minutes and suits 3 to 6 players.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. It is two A4 pages. Page 1 is the game. Page 2 is for the grown up. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
The sheet is a game with cards to cut out. The cards name persuasive techniques such as rule of three, rhetorical question, emotive language, direct address, repetition, statistics, exaggeration, flattery, personal story and command. Players pick a fun topic, such as school uniform or homework. One player gives a short speech and works a technique in without making it obvious. The others listen, then guess. Points go for a correct guess and for the best bluff.
- Rule of three
- Rhetorical question
- Emotive language
- Direct address
- Repetition
- Statistics
- Exaggeration
- Flattery
- Personal story
- Command
Why play with persuasion?
Persuasion is all around young people. Adverts, social media posts, speeches, campaigns and even arguments at the dinner table all try to change what someone thinks or does. At Year 8, children are ready to look beyond what a speaker says and ask how they say it. Naming a technique is the first step to noticing it.
A game suits this skill well. Speaking a persuasive line yourself shows how each technique is built, and listening for it trains the ear. The bluff element adds a reason to listen closely. Children have to judge the words, not just enjoy the performance, and they practise spoken English without it feeling like a test.
Did you know?
- Rhetoric is the art of speaking to persuade. People studied it in ancient Greece and Rome.
- The rule of three is sometimes called a tricolon.
- A rhetorical question is asked for effect, not because the speaker wants an answer.
- Speechwriters, advertisers and campaigners all choose their words with an audience in mind.
- Direct address means speaking straight to the listener, often with the word you.
Skills and curriculum link
- Spotting persuasive techniques
- Speaking to an audience
- Active listening
- Explaining why a technique works
- Choosing words for an audience
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | English | Spoken English | Year 8 |
What children will be able to do
- I can spot persuasive techniques in speech.
- I can use a persuasive technique myself.
- I can explain why a technique works.
Ideas to help the game run well
- Know the audienceA speech lands differently for a classmate, a head teacher or a grandparent. Talk about who the speaker is trying to persuade.
- Listen for patternsMany techniques leave a pattern in the words, such as a list, a question or a repeated phrase. Listening for the pattern helps players guess.
- Words carry feelingSome words are chosen to make a listener feel something, not just to inform them. Notice which words do that work.
- Subtle beats obviousA technique used lightly can be harder to spot. Encourage speakers to blend it in rather than announce it.
Key words
- PersuadeTo try to make someone agree with you or do something.
- TechniqueA particular method a speaker uses to get an effect.
- AudienceThe people who are listening.
- Emotive languageWords chosen to make the listener feel something.
- Rhetorical questionA question asked to make a point, not to get an answer.
- BluffTo try to hide the truth, so others cannot easily guess it.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is the game. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
- Read the rules aloud together, then cut out the cards. Choose a fun topic, such as school uniform or homework.
- Play the first round together and talk about each choice. One player speaks, the others listen and guess the technique.
- Score a point for a correct guess and a point for the best bluff. Check your thinking against the notes on page 2.
- Come back another day. Repeating a familiar game builds confidence and sharpens listening.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Write the meaning of each technique on a card and keep the cards on the table. Players can check them before they speak or guess. Start with techniques that are easy to hear, and play a slower first round with no scoring.
To stretch confident children
Combine two techniques in one speech. The listeners must name both. Speakers can try to blend them so neatly that the audience finds it hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Then ask why the speech works.
Make it a game
Score a point for a correct guess and a point for the best bluff. Keep rounds short and let each player speak at least once. Two quick games beat one long one, so stop while everyone still wants more.
Talk about it
- Which technique did you hear, and which words made you sure?
- What makes that line persuasive?
- How would you change it for a different audience?
- Which technique do you think is hardest to hide, and why?
- Have you noticed a technique in an advert or a speech recently?
- When might persuasion be unfair, and how can a listener spot it?
Take it off the page
Advert hunt
Look through magazines or leaflets at home. Pick out lines that try to persuade and talk about which technique each one uses.
Dinner table debate
Choose a light topic, such as the best holiday. Each person has one minute to persuade the others, then everyone names a technique they heard.
Speech notebook
Write a short persuasive paragraph by hand on a topic you care about. Underline each technique and say why you chose it.
Who it is for
Parents
Join in for the first round, then let your child lead. Play for about 20 minutes. Listen for the reasoning behind each guess, not just the answer. Let your child win a round or two.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting out the cards. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups. It supports the spoken English strand.
Home educators
Pair it with everyday talk, reading and a few real adverts or speeches. Print again for brothers and sisters, or for a quick revision round a few weeks later. It works well alongside a wider English plan.
Where this fits in learning
Before this, children usually learn to read a text closely and say what its writer wants the reader to think. They also meet simple ideas about audience and purpose. Those habits help them hear persuasion rather than just follow it.
After this, children can use the same techniques in written work, such as letters, speeches and opinion pieces. They can also compare how different writers and speakers aim at different audiences. Naming a technique clearly is a base for explaining why it works.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Which technique did you hear?
- What makes that line persuasive?
- How would you change it for a different audience?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Persuasive Techniques Bluff for?
It is written for Year 8 (ages 12 to 13), in Key Stage 3. Older or younger children can play too. Adjust the topics and the pace to suit the group.
- What will children practise?
Children practise spotting and using persuasive techniques in speech. They speak to an audience, listen closely, and explain why a technique works. The game covers spoken English at Key Stage 3.
- How many people can play?
Three to six players. One person speaks while the others listen and guess. It works at home with family or in class around a table. Rounds are short, so everyone gets a turn.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 20 minutes. You can make it shorter by playing fewer rounds, or longer by adding the stretch idea from page 2, where players combine two techniques in one speech.
- What if it feels too hard?
Write the meaning of each technique on a card and keep the cards in view. Players can check them before they speak or guess. Play a first round without scoring so everyone learns the game.
- Is it free, and do I need colour printing?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No colour is needed. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. You will need scissors for the cards.
- Can teachers and home educators use it?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or in a wider plan. It needs no preparation beyond printing.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.