Rewriting Exercise

Worksheet Description

This worksheet serves as an educational tool for understanding the concept of enthymeme, a key element in the study of logic and rhetoric. At the top, students are given space to write their names, personalizing the assignment. The worksheet begins with an explanation of syllogisms as the foundation for understanding enthymemes, describing a syllogism as a logical deduction based on two premises. It goes on to explain that an enthymeme is a type of syllogism where one of the premises is not stated because it is assumed to be obvious.

Following the explanation, the worksheet provides examples contrasting a syllogism with an enthymeme, clarifying the concept by showing how the removal of an obvious premise simplifies a syllogism into an enthymeme. The students are then given exercises to practice this conversion themselves. They are instructed to identify the obvious premise within given syllogisms, strike it out, and rewrite the statements as enthymemes. This process is illustrated with clear, relatable examples, ensuring that students understand how to distill the essence of an argument by focusing on the key premise and conclusion. This task not only enhances their logical reasoning skills but also helps them to better analyze and construct persuasive arguments.