Lesson video

Hi everyone and welcome to today's lesson.

Today we are going to be beginning to develop our understanding of the features of a persuasive letter.

In today's lesson, you will be able to identify the purpose and the features of a persuasive letter in preparation for writing based on Front Desk.

Here are some key words we are going to use.

Purpose, persuasion, recipient, linguistic feature, persuasive technique.

The purpose is the aim of the text.

Persuasion is the action or process of trying to change someone's mind or behaviour.

The recipient is the person who receives a letter.

A linguistic feature is language features that help the text achieve its purpose.

Persuasive techniques are a structure or a device used in writing to try and change someone's mind or behaviour around a particular topic.

Today we are understanding the purpose, the layout, and some features of a persuasive letter.

We are going to begin by learning about the purpose and the layout of persuasive letters.

Then we are going to learn about linguistic and persuasive techniques.

So let's begin by thinking about what is persuasion and where do we see it? Take a moment to have a little think.

Persuasion is a noun.

It is the, let's read this actually together.

The action or process of trying to change someone's mind or behaviour.

We see and hear persuasion all around us.

We might hear it on public transport and when we are out and about.

We see persuasion in the form of advertising on the internet and on television.

We see it in the newspapers and we hear it on radio and in podcasts.

In this lesson, we will be learning how to identify the features of a persuasive letter.

Have you ever written or received a letter before? If so, can you remember what the purpose was for writing the letter? What impact were you or the writer hoping to achieve? Take a moment to have a think about this or discuss it with a partner.

Purpose is the aim of the text.

The purpose of a persuasive letter is to change someone's mind or behaviour or to convince them about something.

The person who receives a persuasive letter is called the recipient.

Now let's come back to this key question.

Why might you write a persuasive letter? There are lots of reasons.

Here are some.

Let's read these together.

To explain, persuading the recipient to agree with you.

To sell, persuading the recipient to buy something.

To ask, persuading the recipient to do the thing you're asking.

To apologise, persuading the recipient to accept your apology.

To make a change, persuading the recipient to do something differently.

Persuasive letters are written in a formal tone.

They have a very specific layout which helps contribute to this formality.

Here's an image of our persuasive letter.

In the top right-hand corner, we put the sender's address.

This is so the recipient, if they want to write back to you, knows where to address the letter to.

The date is written below the sender's address.

The date is the day on which the letter was written.

On the left-hand side of the page and below the date we have the recipient's address.

Remember, the recipient is the person we send the letter to.

We might also think of them as our reader.

This is where we write the recipient's address.

This is where we are sending the letter to.

Now, match each layout feature to the line on the letter template to show where they should be positioned.

A is the sender's address.

B is the recipient's address.

Remember, this recipient is the person that we are sending the letter to and C is the date, the date on which you are going to write the letter.

Pause the video while you complete your task.

Great work, everyone.

In the top right-hand corner, we have the sender's address.

Below the sender's address, we write the date on which the letter was written and below the date, but on the left-hand side of the letter we have the recipient's address, the person that we are sending the letter to.

Here are some of our key layout features of a persuasive letter.

A formal letter also needs a greeting and a sign off.

So now let's consider where these layout features go.

We have a greeting.

It starts with the word dear and we'll address the person by their name.

We might use their first name, but it's likely that we don't know their first name or it's appropriate to refer to them by their surname.

So it might be dear Mr or Mrs. Or it might be to a group of people.

At the end of our letter we also include a sign off.

This is where we let the person know who's written to them.

So we need to include our name, but there's also something to consider.

How we sign it off depends on whether we know the name of the person.

So if we know the person personally, we would write yours sincerely.

If we do not know them personally, we write yours faithfully.

Now it's time for your first task.

Match each layout feature to the relevant section of a persuasive letter addressed to the Prime Minister.

So, I've got an address or a greeting.

Dear Prime Minister, I've got a date.

I've got one address which is 10 Downing Street.

I know the Prime Minister lives at 10 Downing Street, so that's my recipient's address.

I've got a sender's address, which is from the Oak National Academy, that's my address, and I've got a sign off, yours faithfully, Ms. Mullins.

Take a moment to match each layout feature to the relevant section of this letter.

Pause the video while you complete your task.

Great work, everyone.

Hopefully this is what your letter looks like.

So, in the top right-hand corner we have got the senders address, Oak National Academy.

Below it we've got the date, the 26th of April.

Below it again, and on the left-hand side we have got the recipient's address, which is 10 Downing Street.

Then we've got our greeting.

Dear Prime Minister.

At the end of the letter, we've got the sign off, yours faithfully, Ms. Mullins.

Now I do know the Prime Minister's first name, but it's not appropriate for me to refer to the Prime Minister by their first name.

It needs much more formality than that.

So I have signed off mine, my letter with yours faithfully because I do not know the Prime Minister personally.

Take a moment to have a quick check.

Have you got all of the layout features in the correct place? Well done, everyone.

Great work, everybody.

Now that we've considered the purpose and the layout of persuasive letters, let's move on to learning about linguistic and persuasive techniques.

Persuasive letters contain a variety of linguistic features to persuade the reader.

A linguistic feature is a language device used to have a desired impact on the reader.

These are all features of persuasive letters.

An introductory sentence, fronted adverbials, rhetorical questions, relative clauses, conditional clauses.

Great work, everyone.

Here are some more features.

These are slightly different and we'll talk about the differences on those in one moment.

Presumption, flattery, evidence or proof, veiled threat.

The first list are linguistic features.

Remember, language devices used to have a desired impact on the reader.

The second list are persuasive techniques.

They are structures or devices in writing to try and persuade the reader to change their mind.

How do each of these linguistic features help to persuade the reader? Firstly, an introductory sentence provides clarity by telling the recipient what the letter is about.

To be effectively persuasive, we've got to make sure that our reader clearly understands what the issue is and why we are writing to them.

That's why a clear introductory sentence which states the purpose of for writing is so important.

Fronted adverbials.

These help the text flow by providing sequencing and order to the points and paragraphs.

Again, this helps make our writing cohesive and clear so our reader clearly understands what we are saying and what we are asking for.

We can have formal fronted adverbials such as furthermore and however.

We can use our and and but hands to help us.

Both of these types of formal fronted adverbials are similar in that they link on to the sentence beforehand, however, and formal fronted adverbials such as furthermore or also or moreover or in addition, they help on add on a similar idea to the sentence before.

Our but formal fronted adverbials such as however, or despite this, or in spite of this, they link onto the previous sentence, but they offer a contrasting idea.

We can also use fronted adverbials of cause.

They link cause and effect together.

Examples of these could be consequently or therefore.

We might also use rhetorical questions.

These engage the reader and they provoke thought.

Here's an example of one, let's read it together.

How do you think parents will afford this? By asking our reader rhetorical questions, we try to get them to understand and empathise with our point of view.

Relative clauses.

These provide further information and detail.

For example, let's read this sentence together.

Our case, which is proving very complicated, has been open for two months.

Here in this example, the, which is proving very complicated relative clause is adding another fact to the sentence.

And conditional clauses, these present a hypothetical situation to either avoid or strive for.

They often begin with the word if.

Let's read this together.

If we do not make this change, many people will suffer.

Now let's take a moment to check our understanding.

Which of these is not a linguistic feature of a persuasive letter? Pause the video while you do that.

Well done if you spotted that figurative language is not a linguistic feature of a persuasive letter.

Figurative language is a feature of narrative writing but not persuasive writing.

Now it's time for your second task.

Match the linguistic feature to the example.

So we've got fronted adverbial, rhetorical question, a relative clause and a conditional clause.

Let's read the examples through together.

Which has an impact on pupils' learning.

Furthermore.

How can pupils be expected to focus on their studies? If this issue were to remain unresolved.

These are all examples of sentences or parts of sentences or words that would be appropriate to see in a persuasive letter.

Your task is to identify which linguistic feature each example is.

Pause the video now while you complete your task.

Fantastic work, everyone.

The fronted adverbial is furthermore.

This is an and formal fronted adverbial.

The rhetorical question is, how can pupils be expected to focus on their studies? We know this is a rhetorical question 'cause it ends with a question mark.

The relative clause is, which has an impact on pupils' learning and in this clause the relative pronoun is the word which, and the conditional clause is, if this issue were to remain unresolved.

This conditional clause begins with the conjunction if.

Well done, everyone, great work.

Now let's move on to looking at other features.

Presumption, this presumes that something is true or will happen.

For example, I'm sure you'll agree that this is the best option.

Flattery, this appeals to the recipient by complimenting them.

I am sure that someone as intelligent as you will realise why this is so crucial.

Evidence or proof, this provides a fact or a statistic that supports the argument.

Did you know that over 90% of brown bears are threatened now? And finally, veiled threat.

This provides a threat that is not directly stated but is implied or hinted at.

I hope that I will not have to take this matter into my own hands.

Now match the persuasive technique to the example.

We've got flattery, presumption, veiled threat and evidence or proof.

Let's read the examples together.

I'm sure you'll agree that this is the only way.

I know that someone as clever and wise as you will make the right decision.

In my previous job, this was a problem for 90% of the workforce.

I hope I'll not have to take this matter further.

Pause the video now while you complete your task.

Brilliant work, everyone.

Flattery was, I know that someone as clever and wise as you will make the right decision.

Presumption was, I'm sure you'll agree that this is the only way.

Veiled threat was, I hope I will not have to take this matter further, and evidence or proof was, in my previous job this was a problem for 90% of the workforce.

Great work, everyone.

Well done, everyone.

That now brings us to the end of our lesson where today we've been understanding the purpose, layout, and features of a persuasive letter.

Persuasive letters are formal in tone and they have specific layout features.

The purpose of a persuasive letter is to convince the recipient to change their mind or behaviour.

Persuasive letters have a range of linguistic features and persuasive techniques that help them achieve their purpose.

I've been so impressed with the standard of learning today.

Well done, everyone, and I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.