O-Level Situational Writing: How to Persuade
Persuasion asks a reader to choose, support or do something. Your job is to make that action reasonable for that reader. A principal needs school benefits and a workable plan; classmates may respond to shared experience and an invitation to join.
Build the request before the paragraphs
Write one sentence that states the action you want: I ask the school to trial a pre-order collection point for one term. Then match each required point to a job.
| Paragraph | Its job |
|---|---|
| Opening | Name the issue and your request |
| Reason 1 | Show a benefit with a detail from the source |
| Reason 2 | Explain another benefit for the reader or group |
| Reply to a concern | Name one practical difficulty and answer it |
| Close | Repeat the action and ask for a response |
Do not pile up adjectives such as “excellent” and “amazing”. A decision-maker needs a reason they can test.
Turn a source detail into a reason
Suppose a notice says that seven in ten students queue for more than fifteen minutes. Copying the figure is only the start.
Seven in ten students reported queues of more than fifteen minutes. A pre-order collection point could return part of that time to students who need to eat and get to their next lesson. I suggest beginning with the two busiest stalls, then reviewing the trial after four weeks.
The first sentence uses the source. The next two explain why it matters and give the reader an action.
Make the reader feel addressed
Use respectful certainty. “You must” sounds like an order unless the task gives you authority. “I would be grateful if the school could…” is polite, but follow it with a specific request.
| Weak | More useful |
|---|---|
| This will be good. | This would shorten the longest queues at the noodle and chicken-rice stalls. |
| Everyone wants it. | Nine in ten respondents supported a pre-order option. |
| There are no problems. | A short pilot would let the canteen test collection times before a wider launch. |
A final persuasion check
- Have I asked for one clear action?
- Does every reason relate to the reader’s responsibility or interest?
- Did I use source information accurately rather than inventing evidence?
- Did I address one concern without weakening my request?
- Can the reader tell what to do next?
Use the canteen proposal practice to try this approach.