Persuasive Writing

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Being able to persuade readers to believe an opinion, argument, or point is a very powerful tool. Mastering persuasive writing will help your child express themselves more effectively and convincingly.

This section of our website is packed with information and free downloadable resources on persuasive writing to help your child hone their skills!

What is persuasive writing?

Persuasive writing is normally a type of non-fiction writing where the author tries to convince their readers of a certain point, opinion, belief, or view. In order to successfully write a persuasive argument, your child must have strong supporting points, explanations, and examples.

In a persuasive essay, it’s often clear to see how the writer’s opinions and personal experiences impact their views, but this will also depend on the topic being discussed. A persuasive piece should always demonstrate logical arguments for or against a topic, with the aim to persuade the reader to share the same point of view.

How to write persuasively

There are various features that easily identify persuasive rhetoric. Here are the most common persuasive techniques your young child can implement in their next piece:

Facts and Statistics

Facts and statistics are true and cannot be proven false. Including facts and statistics in persuasive pieces makes the argument much stronger, as they help support the writer’s point of view, demonstrate new research findings, and ultimately convince the reader to accept and agree with the writer's opinion.

Rhetorical Questions

Rhetorical questions are questions that are not meant to be answered. These types of questions can be useful in persuasive speeches to highlight important words or feelings. Rhetorical questions emphasize points that the reader is meant to remember. They help make the main point even stronger, which is why they can be useful in persuasive writing.

Connectives

Connectives, or linking words/phrases, help the author transition between ideas. They make a piece of writing flow really smoothly. Connectives are helpful in all types of writing but can be useful in persuasive writing specifically to keep readers from getting confused. By using connectives, readers will understand your child’s point of view better, making it easier for them to focus on the opinion they’re expressing.

Conditionals

Conditionals are statements that express cause and effect. These are useful in all writing types, including persuasive writing. By using conditional statements, readers are able to understand the connection between two events, thoughts, feelings, etc. Using conditionals is a great word choice to demonstrate certain cause-and-effect relationships.

Activity & resource

Now that we’ve discussed what persuasive writing is and its core features, use our free resource to transform your child into a true persuasive writer! This resource contains examples of persuasive writing, tips & persuasive strategies, and activities for your child to complete.