NAPLAN test is looming on the horizon, and this means that you have to put much more efforts than usually to ace it. This annual assessment consists of the tests in two main domains, namely numeracy and literacy. The latter includes evaluating writing skills on the basis of a written assignment. Particularly, students are given a prompt and asked to elaborate on it in a certain genre, which is frequently either narrative or persuasive. We’ve collected some useful information with the thought that it would give a sufficient understanding of each of these text types. We’ll start by introducing persuasive writing.
How to Write a Persuasive Essay?
Many students have been in quest of a lucid answer to the question, “How to write a persuasive essay?” Here it comes!
A persuasive text is a form of nonfiction writing that presents a standpoint with regard to a particular issue, notion, or phenomenon and encourages the readership to adopt it by incorporating convincing arguments. A persuasive piece of writing may be of various formats, including an exposition, discussion, argument, review, or even an advertisement.
Persuasive Essay Structure
- A persuasive text is comprised of three pillars, e.i. a “statement of position,” the “introduction of supporting ideas,” and a “reinforcement of a stated position.”
- The first element of the structure puts forward an argument and discloses the position to be debated.
- Then there is the arguments section where you should provide a set of related points along with supporting details. At this point, you should go to great lengths to persuade the reader to accept your stance. On the whole, three argument points is considered a happy medium, but you can add more if needed.
Grammar and Language Specifics
To lend credence to your writing, deploy the following language techniques:
- use words that express a high degree of certainty, such as “have to,” “must,” “ought to,” “shall”;
- apply pathos among other modes of persuasion. Its profound effect lies in creating emotional appeal to readers. You can achieve it by utilizing emotive, descriptive expressions or words. For instance – appalling, marvelous, fascinating, terrifying, etc;
- write in a formal authoritative tone;
- use such a stylistic device as repetition to emphasize your point of view;
- don’t forget about transitional words (connectives) that ensure a smooth development of your arguments and a coherent transition from one point to another. They may include “to illustrate,” “for example,” “firstly,” “notably,” etc;
- write in present tense;
- search for persuasive writing examples, fetch a highlighter, and start scouring for the application of the aforementioned language devices. It’ll help you to get an idea of the style in which this piece of writing should be composed.
Have you ever had a situation when you with your friends were sauntering around and suddenly decided to grab a bite? Trouble is, you all yearn for different kinds of food. One person feels like ordering pizza, another wants fries, and you’re in the mood for Chinese. Imagine that you’re the person who has to take the plunge and nudge other towards one particular dish. Here, you have to be really forceful to persuade your friends that oriental food is the best choice. Composing a persuasive essay is pretty much alike. In writing, however, your task is to impact the thoughts of anyone who will read your essay. Furthermore, you should form an outright opinion on the issue, either positive or negative.
Before getting down straight to business, familiarize yourself with the tips on how to start a persuasive essay:
- Pick a contentious issue and choose a side you want to advocate. Here, you have to be very clear about your personal attitude to a problem and demonstrate why your viewpoint is more sensible and worth paying heed to.
- You should be well-read on the topic you’re writing about. It might presuppose digging deeper to accumulate ample information for your evidence. In this case, going to a library or interviewing people who specialize in the scope of your essay might be a viable strategy. Use only reputable sources to expand your expertise in the topic of your essay and jot down the essentials.
- Now you can move on to making a handful of points that will serve as the bedrock of your persuasive text. If you can think of many points, select the most convincing ones in the long run. To corroborate your claim, it’s pivotal to incorporate supporting points based on factual data.
- Develop a proper thesis statement. It should not only summarize your position on the topic of your essay but also be the main point that you’re trying to convince the readership of. Verify your thesis by writing down a thesis that is opposite to your own. You can rest assured if your argument is debatable.
- Investigate your target audience and try to establish their viewpoint on the topic. This is a significant part of work since you have to be aware of other people’s arguments in order to immediately counter them in your paper.
- Draw up an outline of your essay. Pay attention to the facts you want to include and their order. Keep in mind the purpose of writing, your audience, and the topic. You can forgo an outline, but it’s beneficial when it comes to making your essay well-structured and ensuring that it flows smoothly.
- Come up with a persuasive essay introduction that could keep the readers on the edge of their seat.
Kick off your essay with a catchy intro sentence to engage the audience in further reading and then proceed with explaining the issue in brief.
When giving an insight into your topic, it’s an especially clever idea to provide some background information. This is where your research work you conducted prior to writing will stand you in good stead.
At the end of the first paragraph, introduce your thesis. This will set the tone for the entire paper and help you not to digress from the point you want people to convince of.
Keep your intro concise. Remember, you want to create suspense, rather than unveiling all the juicy details right from the start.
- Stick to the five paragraph essay format, which entails such parts of a persuasive essay as introduction, three body paragraphs, and conclusion. The body of the essay focuses on the logical reasoning behind your position (thesis) that should lead the readers to believe the credibility of your reflections and embrace your standpoint.
Each paragraph has to commence with a topic sentence that backs up your central claim and provides an argument for your thesis. The rest of the paragraph should be allocated to evidence that will substantiate its first sentence.
Incorporate quotations, scientific studies, and other reliable sources to make your argument fly.
- How to end a persuasive essay? A persuasive essay conclusion should generalize everything you’ve talked about in the body. Restate your central claim and the most powerful evidence to make a wrap-up of your work. Although this section is relatively succinct, this is also your essay’s last opportunity to make its mark on the readers.
How to Make the Power of Your Words Greater
Use quotes of distinguished people or those who are knowledgeable about your scope of writing. People are apt to consider the words more seriously if they are uttered by someone in authority or with a high reputation.
The recurrent repetition of a certain sentence or phrase may also be etched in one’s memory.
Presenting a problem and then expounding on its detrimental effect on society is another efficient method of persuasion. Once you’ve shown how upsetting the issue can be, offer a decent solution that ensues from your point of view. By doing so, the readers will be more tempted to learn about the upshot if they can conceive of the magnitude of the problem.
Personal Persuasive Essay Topics
Obviously, it’s a daunting task to come up with personal persuasive essay topics that would not only satisfy the demands of the contemporary readership but also fit your preferences. Therefore, we decided to make several ready-made suggestions for your future persuasive essay.
- Is death penalty capable of deterring violent culprits?
- Is abortion a variation of murder?
- Should abortion be abolished?
- Can the introduction of rigid gun control policy curb massive school shootings?
- Is poor upbringing the only reason for bullying?
- Is the issue of global warming largely exaggerated?
- Should the government consider making amendments to the immigration law?
- Should the number of smoking spots be reduced?
- Is social media responsible for children’s poor social skills?
- Is friendly/romantic interaction on social media able to evolve into a fully-fledged relationship in life?
- Are famous people involved in sports overpaid?
- Are individuals involved in sports more interested in gaining profit rather than obtaining a sense of fulfillment?
We hope that these pieces of advice will benefit you and assist you in polishing your writing skills. The bottom line here is to realize the purpose of writing, take an interest in the topic of your essay, and investigate the issue you’re writing about in order to provide scientific context and sound more credible.