Also referred to as creating a sense of urgency or appeal to sense of urgency.

Example

For example: “Your donations are needed today if we are going to save the Great Barrier Reef from imminent destruction!”

Definition and effect on reader

Allusions to time are words or phrases that convey the urgency of a certain event taking place. They encourage the reader to prioritise that issue over other issues, because this one requires immediate action or attention as opposed to those that can be handled in the future. As writers of persuasive pieces do not want their contentions or aims to be placed aside for later, making their issue seem as though it must be dealt with immediately is a generally effective idea.

There are several ways a writer may attempt to create a sense of urgency:

• Using words like “now” or “today.”
  • Call and book your blood donation today!
• Using exclamation marks.
  • In the above example, the exclamation mark adds emphasis to “today”
• Giving a specific time frame.
  • We need to collect $100,000 dollars by the end of the month or the community centre will be shut down forever.
• Alluding to the issue being ongoing.
  • Children are dying every day.