1. Unit 1 Section B Writing to Persuade – Foundation Tier
Improving your Performance in Writing

2. The Exam – Section B You should spend about an hour on Section B
2 Writing tasks
Shorter task: Writing to Inform / Explain (25 minutes)
Longer task: Writing to Persuade (35 minutes)
40 marks available

3. What is Writing to Persuade?
Promotes a point of view
Gives lots of reasons why somebody should do what you want them to do
Use lots of rhetorical devices to achieve an impact on the reader

4. Examples of tasks
Write the text for a speech persuading your local council to spend more money on facilities for young people
Write a letter to a TV company persuading them that they should produce more interesting programmes for young people
Write an article for a local newspaper persuading readers to visit a local attraction

5. Assessment Objectives
AO4(i) – Communication
Ideas, addressing the audience, meeting the purpose
AO4(ii) – Organsiation
Type of text, overall structure, use of paragraphs and sentences
AO4(iii) – Technical Accuracy
Accuracy of writing skills and vocabulary

6. Mark Band 3 Criteria AO3(i) Communication AO3(ii) Organisation
Clear ideas
Successful communication
Detailed persuasive ideas
Appropriate level of formality for the reader
Uses rhetorical devices
Uses discourse markers
AO3(ii) Organisation
Uses paragraphs that are linked together
Range of structural features e.g. different paragraph lengths
AO3(iii) Technical Accuracy
Range of punctuation used accurately
Sentences correctly separated
Variety of sentences for effect
Correct spelling of ambitious words
Uses standard English

7. What do I need to do?
Structure your writing carefully, showing different viewpoints
Make your writing interesting to read
Use a range of rhetorical devices for effect
Use a wide range of paragraphs and types of sentence for effect
Use a wide range of punctuation for effect
Spell sophisticated words correctly and use an ambitious vocabulary

8. Writer’s Toolkit Overall Structure
Remember to create a detailed plan
Write an imaginative opening to engage your reader i.e. a rhetorical question
Link your conclusion back to your opening
Vary the length of your paragraphs e.g. a one-sentence paragraph
Use a range of connectives to link your paragraphs together

9. Writer’s Toolkit Rhetorical Devices
Rhetorical questions x 2
Lists of three x 2
Emotive language
Anecdotes
Facts and Statistics
Audience involvement
Direct address
Personal involvement
Alliteration
Repetition
Over-exaggeration
Expert opinions

10. Writer’s Toolkit Sentence Structure
Questions
Exclamations
Short sentences for impact
Complex lists e.g. There are many reasons not to smoke: it is bad for your health; it makes you smell; it is very expensive.
Begin with a reason
Begin with a verb
Move your subordinate clauses around e.g. at the beginning

11. Writer’s Toolkit Range of Punctuation
Exclamation / question marks
Brackets to show sarcasm
Inverted commas for irony
Apostrophes for omission and possession
Use a colon instead of ‘because’ or ‘so’
Use a semi-colon to show that 2 statements are closely linked
Put a comma after a connective at the beginning of a sentence

12. Why use a Text Skeleton?
It helps you to visualise what your writing should look like…
It helps you to structure the writing effectively…
It shows the examiner you know what you are doing…

13. Plan a conclusion – link all your reasons together and make a
Plan your
opening
– 3 main
reasons
Develop your
reasons using
PEE Chains
Plan a conclusion – link all your
reasons together and make a
final BIG statement
Don’t forget to
add lots of
rhetorical devices
Link each
paragraph
with
connectives

14. Approaching the task Analyse the task: work out the PAFT
Think of an interesting opening
Plan your ideas: 3 clear reasons
Think of an effective conclusion – link back to your opening and your main points + one BIG reason
Add connectives
Add rhetorical devices

15. Age Interests Lifestyle
Gender Education Class
Job Hobbies Politics

16. Interesting openings Begin with an anecdote – tell a story
Use a complex list to summarise 3 three main points e.g. there are many reasons to…
Use a rhetorical question (NOT “WHAT DO YOU THINK?”)
Begin with a controversial statement

17. PEE Paragraphs Point Example Explain Answer the question ‘what?’
E.g. What is the reason for doing this?
Example
A quotation from an expert or someone who might have something to say
An anecdote or brief story
A fact, statistic or ratio e.g. 1 in 7, 14%, half of all…
Explain
Answer the question ‘why?’
E.g. Why should people do what you want them to do?

18. Main points - PEE Chains
Write the text for a speech persuading your local council to spend more money on facilities for young people
Point: Will give young people more to do in the evenings
Example: Improve the local youth centres
Explain: Will help to reduce anti-social behaviour which will benefit everyone

19. PEE paragraphs – an example
One important reason for developing facilities for young people is that there is not enough for them to do in the evenings which creates problems for communities. Investing in local youth centres and providing more youth workers would provide lots of exciting opportunities for everyone. The benefit of this is clear: anti-social behaviour would be reduced significantly. No more shady youths hanging about on street corners!

20. Conclusion Link back to what you said in your opening paragraph
Repeat or reinforce your main reasons
Answer any questions you may have asked
Think about what might happen in the future if people don’t do what you want

21. Firstly, secondly, thirdly
Connectives – Band 3
SEQUENCING
Firstly, secondly, thirdly
Finally
Next
ADDING
Also / and
In addition
As well as
CONTRASTING
Some people believe
However
Although
COMPARING
Equally
Similarly
In the same way

22. Discourse markers – Band 4!
Surely it is reasonable to expect…
Taking the global view…
One alternative position might be…
Some people are of the opinion that…
On balance, it is clear to see that…
It is foolish to suggest that…
In considering the need to…

23. Task ‘Mobile phones should not be allowed in school’.
Writer an article for the school newsletter in which you persuade other pupils that this is either a good or bad idea.

24. Approaching the task Analyse the task: work out the PAFT
Think of an interesting opening
Plan your ideas: 3 clear reasons
Think of an effective conclusion – link back to your opening and your main points + one BIG reason
Add connectives
Add rhetorical devices