Grade 8: Persuasive Essay

Get your audience to act by giving compelling reasons.

Give at least three strong reasons.

Use specific rather than general reasons.

Goal: to build a new athletic field

Too general: Everyone at school likes sports.

Specific: We could offer a greater variety of sports at school.

Use reasons related to your goal.

Goal: to build a new athletic field

Unrelated: My favorite sport is soccer.

Related: Because our student body has grown, our current fields are not adequate anymore.

Avoid exaggerated reasons. Your audience won't be convinced by them.

Goal: to build a new athletic field

Unconvincing reason: Thousands of people will come to our games, and the school will make millions of dollars.

Match your reasons to your audience.

Goal: to build a new athletic field

To convince the town council: The new field will make our town attractive to newcomers. Parents will want to send their kids to our school.

To convince students: The new field will increase school spirit. We'll be proud to cheer on our teams there!

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