Year 4 English · Writing non-fiction and editing · Lesson 12.5

Year 4 English: Persuasive writing: opinion, reasons and a call to action

Part of the Year 4 English writing non-fiction and editing chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

12.5

Persuasive writing: opinion, reasons and a call to action

Year 4
Write a persuasive text for a clear purpose and a known audience, Give reasons for an opinion, and end with a call to action

Story. The pupils in Priya's class want the library to stay open at lunchtime. Priya writes a short persuasive text to share with her class, before she gives it to the headteacher.

Persuasion is writing that tries to make the reader agree with an opinion, or act. Its purpose is to persuade, and its audience is the reader it wants to convince. A persuasive text usually:

states the opinion early, using words such as should;
gives clear reasons, often introduced by First, Second, Third;
may ask a rhetorical question, which makes the reader think; and
ends with a call to action, which asks the reader to do something.

Read the text in the box, look at the structure of the argument, then answer the questions in exercise 12E.

Our library should stay open at lunchtime

Our school library should stay open at lunchtime. Many pupils finish their lunch quickly, and then they have nothing quiet to do.

First, reading helps us learn new words and ideas. Second, a lunchtime library would give pupils a calm place to relax after a noisy morning. Third, pupils could run book swaps, so that everyone finds a book they enjoy.

Would you rather spend lunch in a crowded corridor? Please support this idea, and ask the headteacher to open the library at lunchtime.

An argument: an opinion, three reasons and a call to action

Key ideas

A persuasive text states an opinion, and it wants the reader to agree or act.
Give clear reasons; a fact can support a reason, but an opinion is what the writer thinks.
Words such as should show what the writer thinks ought to happen.
A rhetorical question makes the reader think about the answer.
A call to action ends the text by asking the reader to do something.

Worked example 12.5.1

Copy the opinion from the first paragraph of the persuasive text.

Method. Find the sentence that gives what the writer thinks.

Find the first sentence. The opinion is usually stated early in the text.
Our school library should stay open at lunchtime.
Check it is an opinion. Should shows what the writer thinks ought to happen, so it is an opinion.
should stay open
Confirm the paragraph. The opinion is in the first paragraph of the text.
the first paragraph
Write the answer.
Our school library should stay open at lunchtime.

Check. The first sentence states the opinion. ✓

Worked example 12.5.2

Which reason is given after the word Third?

Method. Find the word Third, then copy the reason that follows it.

Find Third. The third reason comes after the word Third.
Third,
Copy the reason. The reason is that pupils could run book swaps.
pupils could run book swaps
Write the whole reason. Copy the words to the end of the sentence.
pupils could run book swaps, so that everyone finds a book they enjoy
Write the answer.
pupils could run book swaps, so that everyone finds a book they enjoy

Check. The third reason is about book swaps. ✓

Worked example 12.5.3

Write the call to action that ends the persuasive text.

Method. Find the last paragraph, then the sentence that asks the reader to act.

Find the last paragraph. The last paragraph ends the argument.
Would you rather spend lunch in a crowded corridor?
Find the request. Please support this idea asks the reader to act.
Please support this idea
Copy the whole call. The request continues to say what to do.
ask the headteacher to open the library at lunchtime
Write the answer.
Please support this idea, and ask the headteacher to open the library at lunchtime.

Check. The call to action asks the reader to do something. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a persuasive text is not a list of facts with no opinion. State the opinion clearly, and give reasons that the reader can agree with.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to tell you one thing that they want at home, and to give three reasons for it. Then ask them to end with a request, such as Please let me.