Key takeaways
- Persuasive writing states a clear opinion and backs it with reasons and evidence — the goal is to move the reader to agree or act.
- Teach one structure first: OREO (Opinion, Reasons, Explanation/Examples, Opinion restated) is the simplest scaffold for Years 3–5.
- The techniques do the persuading: rhetorical questions, emotive language, high-modality words, the rule of three, and facts or statistics.
- Model, don't just tell. Write one paragraph together on the board before students draft their own.
- In NAPLAN, persuasive writing is marked against 10 separate criteria — structure and persuasive devices both count.
Persuasive writing is any text that sets out to change what a reader thinks or does. A student might argue that homework should be banned, that their school needs a longer lunch, or that plastic bags should be scrapped. Whatever the topic, the job is the same: state a position clearly and make it hard to disagree with.
The reason students find it hard isn't the opinion — most children have plenty of those. It's turning an opinion into an argument: giving reasons, backing them with evidence, and using language that lands. This guide breaks that down into a structure you can teach, the techniques that make writing persuasive, and worked examples you can model straight away.
The structure: start with OREO
Give students a frame before you give them freedom. The OREO scaffold is the easiest place to start and works from Year 3 up:
- O — Opinion. State your position in one sentence. "Schools should ban single-use plastic."
- R — Reasons. Give two or three reasons that support it.
- E — Explanation & Examples. Expand each reason with detail, an example, or evidence.
- O — Opinion restated. Return to your position with a strong closing line.
Once OREO is secure, move older students to PEEL paragraphs — Point, Evidence, Explain, Link — so each body paragraph argues one idea and links back to the topic. For the planning stage, TREE (Topic sentence, Reasons, Ending, Examine each reason) helps students who freeze on a blank page. All three are the same idea at different reading ages: claim, support, restate.
- 1
Hook the reader
Open with a rhetorical question, a bold statement, or a startling fact so the reader wants to keep going. Avoid 'In this piece I will argue…' — show the position, don't announce it.
- 2
State the opinion
One clear sentence tells the reader exactly where you stand. Use a high-modality verb: 'must', 'should', 'need to'.
- 3
Give reasons with evidence
Two to three body paragraphs, one reason each. Back every reason with an example, a fact, or an expert's view — a reason on its own is just another opinion.
- 4
Handle the other side
Strong writers name a counter-argument and knock it down: 'Some people say… but…'. This is expected of Year 5–7 writers and lifts a piece from good to convincing.
- 5
Finish with a call to action
Restate the opinion and tell the reader what to think or do next. End on your strongest line, not a limp 'and that is why'.
The techniques that actually persuade
Structure holds a piece together, but techniques do the persuading. Teach these explicitly and have students label them in their own drafts. A handy mnemonic is AFOREST:
- Alliteration — repeated sounds make a slogan stick: "Save our seas."
- Facts & Figures — a real number is harder to argue with than a feeling.
- Opinion stated with confidence, using high-modality words: must, should, never, always.
- Rhetorical questions — "Do we really want a playground full of rubbish?"
- Emotive language — words chosen to stir feeling: cruel, heartbreaking, unfair.
- Statistics — "Nine out of ten students agree…" (use real ones; don't invent them).
- Triples (the rule of three) — three items in a row for rhythm: "cheaper, cleaner and kinder."
Add persuasive connectives to link ideas — firstly, furthermore, in addition, on the other hand, in conclusion — and a bank of sentence starters such as "There is no doubt that…", "Surely everyone can see…", and "If we do nothing, then…". Displaying these on an anchor chart means students reach for the technique instead of staring at the page.
Rhetorical question
A question with an obvious answer that pulls the reader onside. 'Who wouldn't want cleaner air?'
Emotive language
Deliberately chosen feeling-words — 'devastating', 'unfair', 'precious' — to make the reader care.
Rule of three
Three ideas in a list for rhythm and emphasis: 'faster, safer and fairer'.
Facts & statistics
Real evidence the reader can't easily wave away. Always attribute where it came from.
High-modality words
'Must', 'should', 'never', 'always' — language that leaves no room for doubt.
Counter-argument
Naming the other side and rebutting it: 'Some argue… however…'. Expected from Year 5 up.
A worked example you can model
Here is a single OREO paragraph with the techniques labelled, ready to put under a visualiser:
Every school should have a longer lunch break. (Opinion, high modality) Right now, students get just 30 minutes to eat, play and reset — is that really enough? (rhetorical question) Rushing a meal is bad for health, bad for friendships and bad for focus in the afternoon. (rule of three) Studies of school routines show that children who move and eat properly at lunch concentrate better in class. (fact) Surely no one wants tired, hungry, distracted students. (emotive language) For a healthier, happier and calmer afternoon, our lunch break must be longer. (opinion restated, call to action)
Model writing a paragraph like this together first. Then give students a fresh topic and the same scaffold, and have them label their own techniques — the labelling is what makes the learning stick.
What to expect at each year level
| Year level | What good looks like | Common next step |
|---|---|---|
| Year 3 | One clear opinion, two reasons, a simple restate. Basic connectives (first, next, last). | Add an example to each reason instead of just listing them. |
| Year 5 | OREO or PEEL paragraphs, 2–3 techniques used on purpose, a call to action. | Introduce a counter-argument and rebut it. |
| Year 7 | Sustained argument, evidence and statistics, counter-argument handled, controlled tone. | Vary sentence length and vocabulary for rhetorical effect. |
The NAPLAN persuasive writing task is marked against 10 separate criteria, from audience and text structure to persuasive devices, vocabulary, punctuation and spelling.
Source: ACARA NAPLAN Writing Marking Guide
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Try the worksheet generatorFrequently asked questions
Persuasive writing is any text that aims to change what a reader thinks or does. The writer states a clear opinion and supports it with reasons, evidence and language techniques so the reader is more likely to agree or act.
Start with one structure — OREO (Opinion, Reasons, Explanation/Examples, Opinion restated) is the simplest. Model a paragraph together, teach two or three techniques such as rhetorical questions and emotive language, then have students draft and label their own.
The most useful for school writers are rhetorical questions, emotive language, high-modality words (must, should), the rule of three, and facts or statistics. The AFOREST mnemonic — Alliteration, Facts, Opinion, Rhetorical questions, Emotive language, Statistics, Triples — is an easy way to remember them.
Narrative writing tells a story with characters and a plot. Persuasive writing argues a position: it states an opinion and uses reasons, evidence and rhetorical devices to convince the reader, rather than to entertain.
OREO stands for Opinion, Reasons, Explanation and Examples, and Opinion restated. It gives students a reliable four-part frame for a persuasive piece and is a good first scaffold before moving on to PEEL paragraphs.