Writing Persuasive or Argumentative Essays

Everyone needs to know how to write a persuasive essay. It's actually not as difficult as it seems.

Give yourself time. Trying to cram an entire 5 paragraph persuasive essay within 100 minutes is not a good idea. Allow yourself enough time to brainstorm, write, and proofread. Put as much effort into your paper as you can in the time period you are given, including the steps below.

Brainstorm. Writing a persuasive essay is very much like writing an ordinary paper. Of course, before you begin, you have to come up with a good solid view, a foundation which you can base your entire paper on. It's best if you pick a topic which you strongly believe in. That way, you can defend your ideas better and make your paper sound a lot more convincing. The case that you are making needs to have enough depth and be worthy of support. You might want to consider opposing viewpoints to make it easier for you to realize how opposing people think.

First Paragraph. This has to be your paragraph that draws attention to your essay. Start with something like: [What is a good pet? Although there are many different kinds of pets to choose from, I think that the feline cat is the best choice of a pet. A cat is an excellent choice of pet because it is easy to handle, doesn't cause trouble, and is friendly.] Start out with something that draws the reader's attention. Then, state clearly what you are going to pick (in this case, a cat). Finally, list your reasons.

Start off your essay by stating your views. Don't get too specific. Leave the details for later. Just lay out your main idea and opinion. Your first sentence should be a thesis sentence, and have the basic ideas that encompasses all that you will say in the rest of the essay. You will need a paragraph supporting your idea, and a paragraph for people who oppose your idea. E.G. Cats are good pets because they don't lubricate all over the house. A sentence for the people who oppose your idea is: Even though cats bite a lot, you can control this by training it. See how you can get an answer to an opposition. This is needed.

Make body paragraphs. At minimum, write three paragraphs for the body of the essay. Each paragraph should cover a main point to back up your argument and idea.