Grade 5 · Writing · Lesson 27

Use persuasive words and logic

Persuasive writing is not just about saying "I think this is right" over and over. Strong persuasive writing uses CAREFUL WORDS that pull the reader toward the writer\u2019s side. Long ago, the Greek thinker Aristotle named THREE different ways a writer can persuade — three APPEALS — and writers still use the same three today. They are LOGICAL appeal (use logic and proof), EMOTIONAL appeal (use feelings and pictures), and CHARACTER appeal (use trust and authority). The best persuasive writing usually mixes all three.

What this lesson teaches

1Identify the three classic appeals — logical, emotional, and character
2Sort persuasive sentences into the correct appeal type
3Choose the appeal that best matches each reader and topic
4Revise a flat opinion into a sentence that truly persuades

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