Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

My name is Mr. Brown and I am here with your English lesson for today.

And we are going to be planning and writing the conclusion of a persuasive letter all about school uniform.

So, let's get started.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can plan and write the conclusion of a persuasive letter about school uniform.

The keywords we'll be using are conclusion, veiled threat, presumption.

Let's say this together, my turn and then your turn.

Conclusion.

Veiled threat.

Presumption.

Amazing, well done.

Let's look at the definitions.

A conclusion is the closing paragraph in a non-fiction text.

A veiled threat is a threat that is not directly stated but implied.

Presumption is the act of believing something to be true in the absence of proof to the contrary.

We will start our lesson by planning the conclusion and then move on to writing the conclusion in this lesson too.

Our persuasive letter will follow this structure.

We will have an introduction, first argument, a second argument, and the conclusion, and the conclusion is the area we're focusing on today.

The introduction is the first paragraph.

The sender introduces themselves and shares the purpose for writing.

Then we have the two arguments, and these paragraphs contain separate persuasive arguments following the PEPS structure of point, explanation, proof, summary.

And they both support the purpose of the letter.

So they are two separate arguments with two separate points, but both points support the purpose of the letter.

Finally, the conclusion.

This is the last paragraph that summarises the key information of the letter.

We are focusing on the conclusion because we have already written our introduction, our first argument, our second argument.

We are writing a persuasive letter to the Prime Minister to persuade them to make school uniform compulsory across the United Kingdom.

And in this lesson, we will be planning and writing the conclusion of our persuasive letter.

The introduction and the first and second arguments have already been written.

The conclusion and complimentary close are the only things left to add to our letter, so we're almost done.

The purpose is the aim of the text.

Now, the purpose of the conclusion is to do these things: to thank the reader for reading the letter; encourage action, thought, or a response; leave a lasting impression on the reader by emphasising the purpose of the letter.

Let's check our understanding.

Which of these is not a purpose of the conclusion in a persuasive letter? Is it A, to start a new argument? Is it B, encourage action, thought, or a response? Or is it C, thank the reader for reading the letter.

? Pause the video and decide now.

Welcome back, everyone.

Let's see if you found the right answer.

Well, well done if you said A, start a new argument.

We are not starting a new argument.

It is not a purpose of the conclusion.

B, encourage action, thought, and response is something we want to do, and C, thank the reader for reading the letter is also something we want to do.

But starting a new argument, this is not the place for it.

We do not do that in the conclusion.

Here is an example of a conclusion.

I will read it to you so we can see what we are aiming to produce by the end of this lesson.

We can see there is an indent, which means it is the start of a new paragraph.

This section, the conclusion, has its own separate paragraph.

I thank you in advance and I am confident that your swift action will mean that I do not have to take this matter any further.

I strongly urge you to make the right decision and immediately make school uniform compulsory.

I am sure that the thousands of children across the country, who are depending on you, will be pleased that you made this important change.

Yours sincerely, Mr. Brown.

So we have our conclusion and a complimentary close, and you can see we have yours sincerely there because I know the person's name, I know the Prime Minister's name.

Yours faithfully is used if you do not know the person's name.

Let's look at something called a direct threat.

Now, a direct threat is a statement of intent to do something negative to another person.

For example, I will throw your toys in the bin.

I am saying that I'm going to do something negative.

Now, threats can be phrased as statements, questions, or using conditional clauses.

You can say, I will not invite you to my party.

That is a direct threat, it's a statement.

Do you really want me to tell your teacher about this? Well, that's a question.

I'm threatening to do something, but I'm phrasing it as a question.

If you keep talking, you'll have to leave the cinema.

That is a conditional threat.

It uses a conditional clause.

I'm saying that you will have to leave the cinema if you keep talking.

Now, a veiled threat, well, that provides a threat that isn't directly stated, but it is implied.

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

I'm saying that I will take this matter into my own hands, but I'm hoping that I will not have to.

Veiled threats can be a useful linguistic device to use in a persuasive letter because they can help to convince someone to do something by hinting at a negative scenario if they do not take action.

For example, I hope you will make the right decision and not have to deal with the consequences of not taking action.

We will try to use a veiled threat in the conclusion of our persuasive letter.

Let's check your understanding.

Which of these is a veiled threat rather than a direct threat? Is it A, I will take away your phone; B, do you want me to send you to bed early; or C, I hope I do not have to take you out of the party? Which one is a veiled threat rather than a direct threat? Pause the video and decide, is it A, B, or C now.

Welcome back to everyone.

Let's see if you found the right answer.

Well done if you said C.

C is a veiled threat.

A is a direct threat, I will take away your phone.

B is a question, do you want me to send you to bed early? And C is a veiled threat.

I hope I do not have to take you out of the party.

When we presume something, we believe that it is going to happen.

Presumption is the act of believing something to be true in the absence of proof to the contrary.

So there is no proof to prove that it isn't true, so we believe it to be true.

Presumption can be a powerful linguistic technique to use in a persuasive letter, as it can make the reader feel like you already believe they will do the thing you're asking.

You are acting like they are going to do it.

For example, I am sure that you will make the right decision.

To use presumption as a linguistic technique to persuade the reader, we should follow these two steps.

Number one, you decide what action you want the reader to take.

For example, you want them to make school uniform compulsory.

That's the action that our whole letter is built around.

We want the Prime Minister to make school uniform compulsory.

So that's what we want them to do, number one.

Number two, we write something to show that we presume the reader will take that action.

We are warm, friendly, and positive when we're doing this.

For example, I am sure you will, or I know that you will.

I know you'll agree that.

So we're saying that we're in agreement.

I am confident that you will.

I am convinced that you will.

I look forward to seeing the results of this change.

So for that one, I'm so presumptuous I'm saying I'm already looking forward to seeing what's going to happen when you do this thing, because I know you're going to do it.

Let's check your understanding on presumption.

Which of these is an example of presumption? Is it A, I would like you to make school uniform compulsory; is it B, do you think all schools should have a uniform; or is it C, I know that you will do the right thing and make school uniform compulsory? Which one is an example of presumption? Pause the video and decide now.

Welcome back.

Let's see if you found the example of presumption.

Well, well done if you said C, I know that you will do the right thing and make school uniform compulsory.

I am presuming that they will do the right thing.

A, I would like you to make school uniform compulsory is a request.

B, do you think all schools should have a uniform is a question.

So well done if you said C.

Time for a task.

Write an example sentence for each of these linguistic techniques that you could use in the conclusion of your letter.

So number one, write a sentence which includes a veiled threat.

Remember, veiled threats provide a threat that isn't directly stated but is implied.

And number two, write a sentence which includes presumption.

Decide what action you want the reader to take and start your sentence by showing them that you presume they will take that action in the future.

Pause the video and have a go at this task now.

Welcome back.

How did you get on? Did you find one harder than the other? Let's have a look at an example of each.

So for a veiled threat, I sincerely hope that you do not make a decision you will live to regret.

Ooh, definitely a clear example of a threat.

I am saying that if you don't do this you will regret it, but I'm using a very veiled tactic.

A veiled threat is not direct.

I'm saying I sincerely hope that you do not make a decision that you will regret, so I'm hoping that you won't regret this.

Now presumption, I have complete faith that you will make school uniform compulsory.

So there I'm saying I believe in this person 100%, complete faith.

I know you are going to do it.

Very presumptuous.

Both of these linguistic techniques that can be used in the conclusion of your persuasive letter.

Let's move on to writing the conclusion.

When we write, we always try to do these things.

We always try to plan and say each sentence before we write it, use punctuation where we know the rules, showcase each sentence type we know, write letters neatly on the line and in joined handwriting, use spelling strategies to spell words accurately, and check and improve our writing when we think we have finished.

Let me check your understanding on that.

Which of the following do we always try to include in our writing? Is it A, showcase only one sentence type; is it B, write letters neatly on the line in joined handwriting; or C, plan and say each sentence before we write it? Pause the video and have a go at this task now.

Welcome back, everyone.

Let's see if you found the right answers.

There are two correct answers.

If you've only got one, quickly, pause the video and see if you can find the second correct answer.

Because we are going to reveal the answers now.

Well done if you said B and C.

We write letters neatly on the line in joined handwriting and we plan and say a sentence before we write it.

A, showcase only one sentence type, well that will be a very boring piece of writing if we only had one sentence type, so it's not A.

Well done if you said B and C.

Here is the success criteria for you to use to guide your writing today.

I have thanked the reader, encouraged action, and emphasised the purpose of the letter.

That's the first part of your success criteria.

I have used a veiled threat to persuade the reader.

I have used presumption to persuade the reader.

And finally, I have included a complimentary close.

I will now write the conclusion of my persuasive letter.

You will see me write to the conclusion of the letter and I will talk through my process as I go.

We will also be using the success criteria to check.

We'll do this together and I'll ask for your opinion on if I've done something, if you can spot it, and hopefully everything in our success criteria will be completed.

So, let's see me write my conclusion.

Okay, so you join me at the start of writing my conclusion.

Looking at my success criteria, the first thing it says is I have thanked the reader, encouraged action, and emphasised the purpose of the letter.

So this is one target that I need to do, and I'm gonna try and do that straight away.

I want to thank the reader, and I feel like that should come first.

So I could say thank you, hmm, what's a formal word? Thank you greatly.

Thank you kindly.

Thank you kindly sounds quite formal.

Thank you kindly for reading my letter.

I think that sounds like a good way to start.

Thank you, oh, this is the start of a new paragraph, so I'm going to make an indent here and start here instead.

Thank you for reading my, can I squeeze letter in there? Probably not.

I'll start a new line.

Thank you for reading my letter.

Ah, I've missed a word, haven't I? Thank you, what did I say? Thank you kindly.

Thank you kindly for reading my letter.

I might just add that in there.

Thank you kindly for reading my letter.

Yeah, that looks better.

Thank you kindly for reading my letter.

Now, that means I have thanked the reader.

Hmm, okay, encouraged action and emphasised the purpose of the letter.

Okay, encourage action.

I want you, you should, I urge you, that sounds formal.

I urge you to make the right decision.

I urge you to make the right decision and make school uniform compulsory.

I guess that's the purpose of my letter, so let's keep it nice and simple.

I urge you to make the right decision, the only decision.

To make the, I think the right decision sounds good.

To make the right decision.

Decision, decision.

It's S-I-O-N, isn't it? Yeah, that looks right.

I urge you to make the right decision and make school uniform.

U-ni-form.

To make school uniform compulsory.

Now, this is a word that I know can be tricky, com-puls, and is it compulsory or compulsary? Compuls, let me just check.

Compulsory, compulsory.

Yeah, that looks right as well.

Good.

I urge you to make the right decision and make school uniform compulsory, full stop.

Good.

Okay, so now, thank the reader, thank you for reading my letter.

Encouraged action, I urge you to make the right decision.

And emphasised the purpose of the letter, and make school uniform compulsory.

Yeah, I'm happy that I can tick off, and this is one target, so that's one big tick there.

Okay, veiled threat and presumption.

Okay, how can I use that? Okay, a veiled threat and presumption.

Okay, presumption, I can say I know you will, I am sure you will, I am confident.

I am confident that your swift action, speedy action, fast action, which is the most formal? Swift probably, isn't it? Swift action.

I am confident that your swift action will mean that I, okay, now let's get to the veiled threat in there.

Will mean that I do not have to take this matter any further.

So I'm threatening that I will take it further, but I am saying that your swift action will mean that I don't have to do this.

Lovely, good, okay.

And that actually gets me veiled threat and presumption ticked off in one sentence.

Okay, so I am confident, I am sure, I am certain.

I quite like that.

I am certain.

I am certain that your quick action, speedy action.

What did we say? Swift action, yeah.

That your swift action.

I am certain that your swift action, so that's my presumption.

I am certain that your swift action, I'm certain that they're gonna take action.

I am certain that your swift action will mean that I don't, that I don't have to take this action any further.

It's not formal enough, is it? That I do not, because we don't have contractions in a formal piece of writing.

I am certain that your swift action will mean that I do not have to take this, and saying this matter makes it feel very formal.

This.

This, let's just cross that out.

This important matter? Yeah, I think so.

This important.

That I do not have to take this important matter any further.

Full stop, lovely.

Okay, I am certain that your swift action, so that is my presumption, will mean that I do not have to take this important matter any further.

Okay, great.

Veiled threat.

Complimentary close.

Okay, so this is my ending.

So I know the person's name, so I can use yours, tell me which is it, yours sincerely or yours faithfully? Yours sincerely, because I know the person's name.

Yours, let me just tidy up that handwriting.

Yours sincerely, with a comma at the end, and then my name, Mr. Brown.

There's my complimentary close.

Looking good.

That is the conclusion of a persuasive letter.

It is now time for you to have a go at writing the conclusion of your formal persuasive letter using the success criteria to help you.

When you've finished, read back every single word.

Take your time, read back your work to check for any errors and mark your work against the success criteria.

Every writer checks their work carefully, so make sure you do the same.

It's over to you now.

Pause the video and write the conclusion of your persuasive letter now.

Welcome back.

How did you get on? That is it.

We have done it.

We have written our persuasive letter to the Prime Minister, an introduction, two arguments, and now a conclusion.

Let's mark my work against the success criteria.

So the first thing is I have thanked the reader, encouraged action, and emphasised the purpose of the letter.

Have I done that? Hmm.

I mean, the first thing says I thank you in advance.

I then have I strongly urge you, so that would be encouraging action.

Immediately make school uniform compulsory is the purpose of the letter.

So yeah, I think I can definitely tick off the first part of my success criteria.

A veiled threat.

Well, there it is.

I have got will mean that I do not have to take this matter any further.

So I am saying that your swift action will mean that I do not have to take this matter any further, and threatening that I will take it further, but I'm saying that I will not have to because I hope that this person's action will mean that I don't.

So a veiled threat is there.

Presumption.

Yes, we have I am confident that your swift action and I am sure.

So that's definitely examples of presumption.

And finally, a complimentary close.

Ah, there it is.

Yours sincerely, because I know the person's name, with a comma afterwards, so that can be ticked off too.

Let's summarise the learning we've done today.

The conclusion is the last paragraph that summarises the key information of the letter.

The purpose of the conclusion is to thank the reader, encourage action, and emphasise the purpose of the letter.

Veiled threats provide a threat that isn't directly stated but is implied.

And presumption can be a powerful linguistic technique to use in a persuasive letter as it can make the reader feel like you already believe they will do what you are asking.

Brilliant work today writing the conclusion of your persuasive letter.

I hope to see you again very soon.