How to Structure your Persuasive Essay

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How to identify the Writer's Tone, Purpose and Intention

The Author's Tone:

If the author was speaking to you, what would it sound like?  Is the author passionate about the topic?  Sarcastic?  Neutral?  Is the author arousing emotions?  Does it evoke feelings of sympathy, anger, happiness or sadness?
Looking at the author's tone can lead the reader to the overall purpose.

The Author's Purpose

An author’s purpose is the reason an author decides to write about a specific topic. Then, once a topic is selected, the author must decide whether his purpose for writing is to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain his ideas to the reader.

To determine the author's purpose it is important to analyze the...

• Language used - look at the words the author chooses to use.  Do they convey certain emotions?  Is it formal or informal?

• Development - How has the author chosen to develop his or her thoughts?

• The audience - Who is the author speaking to?  Is the vocabulary technical and specific? Is it targeted to a specific audience?  Is the language easy to read and understand?

• The author's point of view - What is the author's attitude toward the subject?

Writer's Intention

The writer’s intention is the meaning or interpretation of the passage that the author had in mind when he or she was creating it. It also includes the meaning the writer is trying to convey.

Persuasive Writing Notes

To persuade is to get a person or a group of persons to see something from your point of view or at least to understand how you see a situation.


In this type of writing you need to consider:

• Audience:-knowing the audience to whom you are speaking or for whom you are writing. This will determine your Register.

• Register:-this refers to the tone/language you use, for example, formal, informal, casual {formal to the Prime Minister; informal to a group of friends}This of course depends on the Subject.

• Subject:-What you are writing about

• Purpose:-reason for writing or talking about. Are you trying to:
-convince that your point of view is the correct one?
-appeal to someone’s weakness?
-get persons to change?

Persuasive Writing Must:
• be logical
• be based on fact
• take into account the age, education and interest of the audience

Persuasive Writing should:
• be convincing
• use references to authority
• use concise clear language without repetitions which make no sense
• have clearly defined arguments

Persuasive writing can:
Appeal to emotions
Come from the writer’s imagination as well  as from experience

Persuasive writing includes:
 Letters to the editor
 Articles in the editorial of newspapers, agreeing or disagreeing with issues
 Letters to members of the community, teachers, parents, presenting a point of view
 Speeches meant to persuade or dissuade the listener or to express one’s point of view
 Arguments, debates, speeches meant to express a point of view strongly

Persuasive Writing Techniques

In order to develop your argumentative essay, you must use the following techniques effectively.

a)      Using facts and opinions

b)      Using evidence based on authority-doctors, scientists, public figures

c)      Judging relevance of evidence based on authority

d)     Drawing conclusions

e)      Use of evidence-eg. Statistics

f)       Use of analogy: comparison

g)      Use of contrast: opposite

h)      Repetition: repeating a word or phrase for emphasis

i)        Appeal to emotions/use of emotive language

j)        Direct personal appeal: use of the pronoun “You”

k)      Anecdote: A little story or incident

l)        Irony-the opposite of what is said

m)    Sarcasm-often intended to hurt, says the opposite of real meaning

n)      Hyperbole- exaggeration (going ‘over the top’ for effect. “He said so a million times” 

o)    Rhetorical Questions: These are questions asked for effect but answered by the speaker/writer

How to Write a Persuasive Essay

 I have been posting quite a few English Literature analysis, so now I wanted us to do an overview of persuasive writing. If you have not viewed the introduction to persuasive writing, you can view it here.

 The Structure of the Persuasive Essay

This type of Writing may be developed as follows:

Introduction

A.    Thesis Statement (The writer’s opinion on a topic)

·         Reason 1

·         Reason 2

·         Reason 3

B.     The Body

·         Reason 1: supporting details

               Connecting words and phrases

·         Reason 2: supporting details

               Connecting words and phrases

·         Reason 3: supporting details

               Connecting words and phrases

C.    The Conclusion

·         Summing up of the three reasons

·         Why they support the thesis statement

The Structure of A Persuasive Essay

[Most high school students feel that the school dress code should be altered to allow them to wear sneakers as a part of their uniform.] Thesis Statement They have many reasons for this but [three of them are that sneakers are comfortable; they are readily  available and are in style.] Three reasons These are all good reasons for students wishing to wear them.

[Who has not suffered blistering from heels or a pinched toe in a new pair of leather shoes?] Reason 1 [Who has not been late for school in the morning searching for shoe polish and brush to pass perfect inspection? Finally, leather  shoes are a handicap in lunchtime box football matches.] Supporting details

[Moreover,] connective word sneakers are readily available in every shoe store or even on street corners.] Reason 2 [Sneakers are popular gifts from overseas relatives to send to you. Even fathers consider sneakers a suitable gift to bring back from travels abroad.] Supporting details

[Finally,] connective word sneakers are stylish] Reason 3 [Everyone knows the popular colour, the popular brand, the popular design. It is possible to get a pair of sneakers to match every uniform colour. Sneakers fit every purpose: walking, running or playing.] Supporting details

[No wonder high school students want to wear their sneakers instead of leather shoes.] Conclusion

[They are comfortable, readily available and are right up to the minute in style.] Restatement of the thesis [To a teenager, there is no question-give them their sneakers] Clincher

Now try to write your own persuasive writing by seeing the questions HERE.

Persuasive Writing Essay Questions

CXC suggests spending no more than 30 minutes to answer the persuasive essay question on Paper 2 of the English A exam. They also suggest 250 - 300 words as the length of the persuasive essay.

 
1. Write an article to the local newspaper expressing your concern about the high rate of traffic accidents in your country. Suggest three measures which would help to reduce this high rate of accidents.
 
2.Write an article for your school magazine about three major problems in your school and state how you would solve
each one.

 
3. You are on a committee planning the celebrations to mark the anniversary of your school. You have heard that some of your classmates plan to boycott the celebrations, and you have neen asked to make a speech to persuade them to take part. Write out your speech.
 
4. Your school council has asked for nominations for the "Teacher of the Year award. Write a letter to the council in which you suggest someone from your school,
giving strong arguments to support your choice.

 
5. Write an article for a school magazine in which you present strong arguments either for or against the topic:
"School should be abolished."

PERSUASIVE WRITING