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Persuasive Writing Techniques Worksheet

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Persuasive Writing Techniques Worksheet

A community group is deciding whether to add a covered bike shelter beside a local library. Read the short letter, investigate its persuasive techniques, then write a convincing and respectful response. Use evidence from the letter and your own ideas.

Read the letter

Dear Community Group, Please build a covered bike shelter beside the local library. At present, people who cycle to borrow books have nowhere secure to leave their bikes. On rainy days, their seats and handlebars get soaked. A shelter with a lockable rack would protect bikes from the weather and help people feel confident about cycling. A bike shelter could also reduce short car trips. Fewer cars near the library would mean less traffic and cleaner air for everyone. Surely a place that welcomes readers should also welcome people who arrive by bike? A shelter would be a practical, fair and forward-thinking improvement. Please consider installing one this year. Yours sincerely, A local library user

Spot the persuasive choices

Use the letter above for Questions 1–5.

1.Which sentence is the writer’s main opinion or claim?

2.Which detail is presented as a fact that supports the request?

A shelter would be a forward-thinking improvement.
People cycling to borrow books have nowhere secure to leave their bikes.
A place that welcomes readers should welcome cyclists.

3.Find two words or phrases in the letter that are chosen to make the shelter sound appealing. Explain the effect of one of them.

4.“Surely a place that welcomes readers should also welcome people who arrive by bike?” What technique is used, and what idea does the question encourage readers to consider?

5.Match each phrase from the letter to its persuasive technique.

“Fewer cars near the library would mean less traffic and cleaner air”
“practical, fair and forward-thinking”
“Please consider installing one this year”

Positive, emotive language
Reason and supporting evidence
Call to action

6.Is the letter respectful in tone? Give one detail from the letter to support your answer.

Plan and persuade

Now write to the community group. You may support the shelter, oppose it, or suggest a different plan. Make your position clear and persuade respectfully.

7.Choose a position and list two reasons that could support it. Add one fact or detail you would want to check before making a strong claim.

8.Write a persuasive letter of about 100–150 words to the community group. Include a clear opinion, at least two reasons, one persuasive technique such as emotive language or a rhetorical question, and a polite call to action. Avoid presenting an unchecked guess as a fact.

9.Review your letter. Name one persuasive technique you used and explain how it might influence a reader.