Writing to Persuade
English Language: Edexcel IGCSE - Specification B, topic 4.2.5
Writing to Persuade
When you write to persuade, you are trying to convince other people to do or think something else. Your job is to convince the reader that you are absolutely right! When writing to persuade, you should:
Use DAFORESTER
- Use DAFORESTER as a way to remember your language devices.
- Use direct address (‘we’ and ‘us’) whenever you can.
- Use the other devices effectively – do not just cram in as many as you can! You will lose marks if you do this.
DAFORESTER
- Direct address
- Alliteration
- Facts
- Opinion
- Repetition
- Exaggeration
- Statistics
- Triples
- Emotive language
- Rhetorical questions
Focus on the topic
- Focus on the topic – this is where planning is essential! You must make sure you stick to the topic all the way through and don’t lose track of what you’re trying to persuade your reader to do.
Use logical connectives
- Use logical connectives which help you to build your point (e.g. because, next, as a result, consequently).
Finish on a strong point
- Finish on a strong point.
- A rhetorical question can be used, or a short statement which has an impact on your reader and makes them think.
Writing to Persuade in Texts
When you write to persuade, you are trying to convince other people to do or think something else. Your job is to convince the reader that you are absolutely right! You will see examples of writing to persuade in the following texts:
Speeches
Television adverts
Posters
Magazine covers
Sales pitches
Test yourself on Writing to Persuade
What technique is used to end this speech emphatically?
It's clear that going to the gym benefits all of us mentally, physically and socially. It's time to reap those benefits.What persuasive technique is used in this extract?
I am forced to revise seven nights a week. Consequently, my social life is suffering.You are writing a persuasive piece about joining the army. Which sentence would be off-topic (not related to the topic)?
What does DAFORESTER stand for?
Which texts will you see examples of writing to persuade in?