Anecdote — English definition
A brief, illustrative story used to support a larger point.
Where it is taught
- Rhetorical & Literary Devices — Argument & Rhetoric, English 9: Experience, Perspective & Inquiry, Grade 9
In use
An anecdote — a short, pointed story — does something numbers cannot: it makes an issue human.
Rhetorical & Literary Devices
Questions using anecdote
Problem 1
A writer uses a moving three-sentence story about one struggling small business owner, then pivots to citywide statistics about small business closures. What is the MOST likely purpose of opening with the anecdote?
- To provide the only necessary evidence for the argument
- To make the statistic feel human and emotionally resonant before presenting the broader data
- To distract from a weak claim entirely
- To fulfill a formatting requirement with no persuasive purpose
Answer and explanation
To make the statistic feel human and emotionally resonant before presenting the broader data
Anecdotes are often used to humanize an issue before or alongside data, making the abstract statistic land with more emotional weight.