Understanding The Basics Of Writing Persuasive Paragraphs
From an early age, your child may learn from TV shows and movies how they can persuade someone to do something. They may also try to convince you to get them a new toy or buy them some sweets. Gradually, they may even learn to substantiate their requests by giving you reasons to accede. In a social setting, you might also have noticed that children often try to convince one another to take certain actions during their course of play. Since the aim of writing persuasive paragraphs is to convince someone to accept a point of view or perform an action, the negotiation skills your child picks up at home or on the playground will make them effective persuasive writers at school.
What is a Persuasive Paragraph?
Persuasive paragraphs take a stand on an issue and cite reasons to support that claim. They use evidence such as expert opinions, examples and quotations to support their arguments. Persuasive paragraphs often include a topic, a body and a concluding or closing sentence. Writing a strong persuasive paragraph by providing supporting evidence and a viewpoint is not necessarily enough. In order to write an effective persuasive paragraph, a writer should also have a good command of the English language and the ability to organize their ideas to present a coherent argument.
How to Compose a Good Persuasive Paragraph
A good persuasive paragraph is one with a clear structure that can be easily followed. Persuasive paragraphs begin with an introductory sentence stating the writer’s main topic. This is followed by a main body of text to further develop the writer’s ideas; the stability of the argument depends on how well the writer argues for their stance. Finally, the paragraph ends with a concluding statement, where the writer restates the topic and briefly summarizes the reasons for their viewpoint. With a well-structured persuasive paragraph, readers can clearly understand and follow the progression of the writer’s ideas, making them more likely to be persuaded by the writer’s argument.
Steps for Writing a Persuasive Paragraph
Persuasive writing can help students understand how their writing can influence people’s actions and thoughts. Before students write a persuasive paragraph, they will need to do a fact check, conduct research and think critically to support their argument. A good start to any writing process is prewriting, which consists of idea formation and research. Once the prewriting stage is complete, students can write their persuasive paragraph by following these steps:
- Selecting a topic: Students select a topic for their persuasive paragraph. An activity or an event is a good place for them to start.
- Writing an opinion statement: Students form an opinion about their chosen topic. After that, they write a statement about their opinion on that subject.
- Gathering information: They conduct their research to find good, reliable reasons or information to support their opinion.
- Writing the first draft: The draft of their persuasive paragraph should begin with the topic of their choice and include the body and closing sentence.
- Revising their draft: After writing their first draft, students should review what they have written. They should ensure that there is coherence in the presentation of their ideas.
Choose JEI Learning Center to Help Your Child Write PersuasivelyAt JEI Learning Center, we firmly believe we can help your child develop confidence through our learning programs. Our goal is to create an educational environment where your child will have access to resources, tap into their potential and become the best version of themselves. Our unique and innovative JEI Self-Learning Method® will develop critical thinking skills that will help your child present strong arguments for their viewpoints. To get more information or learn more about our programs, contact us today.
