Persuasive texts aim to persuade readers to buy something, do something or change their minds about something.

A persuasive text often has the following features:

1) It states the writer’s viewpoint in the opening sentence.

2) It puts forward arguments and evidence to support this viewpoint.

3) It sometimes (but certainly not always!) puts forward opposing arguments.

4) It uses the present tense.

5) It uses emotive language (e.g. despicable, cruel, heart-warming).

6) It uses connectives that emphasise (e.g. moreover), contrast (e.g. however) or show cause and effect (e.g. because of this).

7) It poses rhetorical questions (questions that don't require an answer).

How many more animals must suffer before something is done about this?

8) It ends with a final summary or recommendation.

In this worksheet you can practise writing a persuasive text, focusing on including all the above features. Remember that you can look back at this introduction as often as you like by clicking on the Help button.