The Persuasive Letter Genre

andrew seaton's website

Kidsolutions

Organisation | Student Procedures | Teacher Procedures | Resources | Assessment

Purpose
The purpose of a persuasive (expository) letter is to put forward, to a particular person or organisation (or, in the case of a letter to the editor, the general public), an argument or point of view on some issue of concern.

Structure
The basic structure of a persuasive letter consists of five parts:

Initial details, including senders address, date, recipient's name and address, and greeting.
The writer's basic position or point of view is clearly stated.
Arguments for the point of view are presented in logical order, along with evidence, reasons and/or examples. Older students might also make some acknowledgement of the main arguments against their point of view, and answer them.
Summing up of argument, and restating of the point of view taken.
Formal sign-off.

Language Features and Conventions
The persuasive letter takes a formal tone. It is written primarily in the present tense. It makes use of full sentences and paragraphs. Linking words to do with reasoning and the idea of cause and effect are used, such as might, may, also, however, therefore, thus, so, for this reason.

Short Example
11 Sample Street
MADEUPTOWN 4890
15 May 2000

Mr John Brown
Federal Minister for Transport
54 Motorcar Avenue
CANBERRA 4001

Dear Mr Brown

Most people in the world drive their cars on the right side of the road. As international travel becomes cheaper and more common, more and more people who are used to driving on the right side of the road are getting confused and causing accidents on Australian roads, where we drive on the left.

An obvious solution would be for countries in the minority, like Australia, which drive on the left side of the road, to change their rules so that all people in the world drive on the right side of the road. This would minimise confusion, and in the long term greatly reduce the number of injuries and deaths due to road accidents.

An additional benefit would be the reduction in accident repair costs and a corresponding reduction in the amount we all have to pay for car insurance.

One problem with this solution is that for a little while there would be more confusion on Australian roads, and more accidents, while everyone got used to driving on the right side.

In the long run though, changing to driving on the right side of the road in Australia makes sense. We should not allow some short term disadvantages to deter us from enjoying the huge long term advantages of making this change.

Yours sincerely

MWright

Marie Wright

Top