Words That Win: Writing to Persuade

Imagine your school is thinking about banning all fizzy drinks from the canteen. Some children are furious. Others are thrilled. Both groups want to persuade — that means convince — the head teacher to agree with them. How would YOU try to win the argument? Think of one reason you would give. Now ask yourself: why does that reason make your idea sound good? Persuasive writing is all about using words to change what someone thinks or does. You do it every day without realising — when you talk a friend into watching your favourite film, or convince a grown-up to extend your bedtime!

Persuasive writing has one job: to get the reader on your side. To do that well, you need four key ingredients. **1. A clear opinion statement** Start by telling the reader exactly what you believe. Don't keep them guessing! For example: 'Fizzy drinks should be banned from school canteens.' **2. Reasons and evidence** A reason explains WHY you hold your opinion. Evidence is a fact or example that backs your reason up. Reasons without evidence are weak — evidence makes them powerful. For example: 'Fizzy drinks contain huge amounts of sugar. One can can have up to nine teaspoons of sugar, which is more than a child needs in a whole day.' **3. Persuasive language** Certain words and phrases push the reader towards agreeing with you. These include: • Rhetorical questions — questions you don't expect an answer to, e.g. 'Surely we all want children to be healthy?' • Emotive words — words that make the reader feel something, e.g. 'alarming', 'wonderful', 'vital'. • Facts and statistics — numbers feel trustworthy, e.g. 'Studies show that…' • Repetition — saying a key idea more than once makes it stick. **4. A call to action** End by telling the reader what you want them to DO. For example: 'Join us in asking the school to make healthier choices today.' A good persuasive text uses all four ingredients in order: opinion → reasons with evidence → persuasive language throughout → call to action at the end.