Year 3 English: Letters and persuasive texts
Part of the Year 3 English writing non-fiction chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Letters and persuasive texts
A letter is written to one person, for a reason. A formal letter to someone you do not know well usually has a greeting (Dear Mrs Patel,), a purpose in the first paragraph, the details in the next paragraphs, and a sign-off (Yours sincerely,) followed by the writer's name.
A persuasive text tries to make the reader agree, or act. Its writer gives reasons, uses words such as should, and often ends by asking the reader to do something.
Letter from Amira to Mrs Patel (formal letter)
Class 3B
Dear Mrs Patel,
I am writing to ask whether our class could have a small garden on the school field. We would grow beans, herbs and sunflowers, and we would look after them each week.
The garden would help us learn about plants in science lessons. It would also make the school a more colourful place to play.
Could we talk about this idea at the next school council meeting? Thank you for reading my letter.
Yours sincerely,
Amira Hassan
Why our school needs a garden (persuasive text)
Why our school needs a garden
Every school should have a garden, and ours should have one now. First, a garden helps us learn about plants, because we can see seeds grow instead of only reading about them.
Second, working outside is fun and healthy. Everyone can help, from the youngest pupils to the oldest. Would you not love to see our sunflowers in bloom next summer?
So please, say yes to our garden. It will bring the whole school together.
Key ideas
- A letter has a purpose, a greeting, the details and a sign-off.
- Use Yours sincerely when you write to someone whose name you know.
- A persuasive text gives reasons for the writer's opinion.
- Words such as should show what the writer thinks ought to happen.
- A persuasive text often ends by asking the reader to act.
Method. Find the sentence that says why she is writing.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: purpose.purpose
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:I am writing to ask whether our class could have a small garden
- Write the answer. to ask for a school garden
Check. The first paragraph says why she is writing. ✓
Watch out. Also accept: to ask whether the class could have a garden.
Method. Find the words above her name.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: sign-off.sign-off
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:Yours sincerely,
- Write the answer. Yours sincerely
Check. Yours sincerely comes before the name. ✓
Watch out. Also accept: Yours sincerely,
Method. Find the reason that starts with First.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: reason.reason
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:a garden helps us learn about plants
- Write the answer. a garden helps us learn about plants
Check. The first reason is about learning. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a letter to a person you do not know well is formal, even if you like them. Keep the greeting, the sign-off and the words polite.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to tell you who a letter is for, why they are writing it, and what they want the reader to do. Then ask them to read the letter aloud, and to check the greeting and the sign-off.
Exercise 11D Practice: letters and persuasive texts
Method. Find the last line of the letter.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: name.name
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:Amira Hassan
- Write the answer. Amira Hassan
Check. The name is on the last line. ✓
Method. Find the first line of the letter, which says hello.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: greeting.greeting
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:Dear Mrs Patel,
- Write the answer. Dear Mrs Patel,
Check. The greeting starts the letter. ✓
Watch out. Also accept: Dear Mrs Patel (without the comma).
Method. Think about the order of a letter.
- Think about the start. A letter begins with the greeting, and ends with the sign-off.begins; ends
- Choose the first part. The greeting is the first part, so it comes before the sign-off.the greeting
- Write the answer. the greeting
Check. The greeting starts the letter. ✓
Method. Look for a word that shows what ought to happen.
- Find the key words in the question. These words tell us where to look: should.should
- Find the words in the text that answer it. The text says:Every school should have a garden
- Write the answer. should
Check. Should shows what ought to happen. ✓
Method. Choose the sign-off that is formal.
- Look at each choice. Love from is friendly and informal.friendly
- Choose the formal one. Yours sincerely is formal, and it is used when you know the name.Yours sincerely
- Write the answer. Yours sincerely
Check. Yours sincerely suits a formal letter. ✓
Method. Use Dear, then the title and the surname.
- Start with Dear. A formal greeting starts with Dear.Dear
- Add the name. Mr is the title, and Singh is the surname.Mr Singh
- Write the answer. Dear Mr Singh,
Check. Dear, then the title and the name. ✓
Method. Use a polite question word, such as Could.
- Start with Could. Could makes a request polite.Could
- Finish the question. Say what the class wants to do.visit the museum next term
- Write the answer. Accept any polite question that starts with Could, for example: Could the class visit the museum next term?
Check. A polite request in question form. ✓
Method. Think about what the writer wants the reader to do.
- Look at the sentence. The writer asks the reader to say yes.say yes
- Name the purpose. Asking the reader to agree is persuading them.to persuade
- Write the answer. to persuade
Check. The writer wants the reader to agree. ✓
Method. Give your opinion with should, then a reason.
- Give the opinion. Every class should read books each day.should read
- Give a reason. Because stories are fun is a reason the reader can agree with.because stories are fun
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence with should and a reason, for example: Every class should read books each day, because stories are fun.
Check. The sentence has an opinion and a reason. ✓
Method. A fact can be checked; an opinion is what someone thinks.
- Think about the sentence. Colourful is how Amira feels about the school.how Amira feels
- Decide. Other people might not agree, so it is an opinion.an opinion
- Write the answer. an opinion
Check. It is what Amira thinks, not a checkable fact. ✓
Method. Think about what a polite request does.
- Look at the question. It asks politely, and does not order the reader.asks politely
- Think about the reply. It invites the headteacher to answer and to meet.invites a reply
- Write the answer. Accept any: it is polite and it invites the reader to reply.
Check. A polite question invites an answer. ✓