Essay types
How to write a persuasive essay.
By the EssayMate team · Updated November 4, 2026
A persuasive essay tries to convince the reader to accept a view or take an action. Like an argumentative essay it needs reasons and evidence, but it also speaks to the reader's values and feelings, and it is written for a particular audience.
Persuasive essays are common in school, in op-ed style assignments and in speeches. The techniques also help in any writing that asks someone to agree with you.
Persuasive vs argumentative essays
The two overlap, and many teachers use the names loosely. The useful difference is emphasis: an argumentative essay proves a position with evidence and deals with the other side in detail; a persuasive essay aims to move a specific reader, using evidence and appeals to values and emotion, and usually ends with a call to action.
The three appeals: ethos, pathos and logos
| Appeal | What it uses | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ethos (credibility) | Why the reader should trust you or your sources | Citing a medical association, or showing you understand the other side fairly |
| Pathos (emotion) | Feelings and values the reader holds | A short, specific story of a person affected by the issue |
| Logos (logic) | Facts, data and reasoning | A study's findings, a cost comparison, a clear cause-and-effect chain |
Strong persuasive essays use all three, but lean on logos. Emotion without evidence feels manipulative, and evidence without any human stake feels dry.
A structure that persuades
I. Introduction
A hook the audience cares about · the issue · your position, stated clearly.
II. Reason 1, the strongest or most relatable
Claim · evidence · why it matters to this reader.
III. Reason 2
Claim · evidence · appeal to shared values.
IV. The other side
The main objection, stated fairly · your answer.
V. Conclusion and call to action
Restate the position · what the reader should do, think or support.
Model introduction
Every school day, students put their phones in their pockets, and their attention goes with them. Research on classroom learning has found that students who use phones during lessons remember less of what they were taught, and schools that have restricted phones have seen results improve, especially among students who were struggling most. Our school should keep phones in lockers during lessons, because it is the simplest change we can make to help every student learn, and the students who need help most will gain the most.
It opens with a familiar scene (pathos), points to evidence (logos), states a clear position, and frames it around a value the audience shares: helping the students who need it most.
Tips for persuading
- Know your audience: what do they already believe, and what would change their mind?
- Lead with your strongest reason, or save it for last; avoid burying it in the middle.
- Be specific: one concrete example persuades more than three general claims.
- Respect the other side: dismissing it makes readers who hold it stop reading.
- Use clear, confident language, without exaggeration or insults.
- End with a specific action: what should the reader do now? Put it in the conclusion.
15 persuasive essay topics
- Schools should start later in the morning.
- Every student should learn basic coding.
- Cities should make public transport free.
- Plastic bags should be banned in supermarkets.
- Homework should be optional in primary school.
- Universities should drop application fees.
- Employers should offer paid volunteer days.
- Junk food should not be sold in schools.
- Voting should be possible online.
- Every school should offer mental health support on site.
- Single-use coffee cups should carry a charge.
- Teenagers should take a financial literacy course.
- Libraries should stay open until midnight during exams.
- Animal testing for cosmetics should end worldwide.
- Cities should build more protected bike lanes.
Example papers
Sample papers written with EssayMate, to read for structure and citations, not to copy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a persuasive and an argumentative essay?
An argumentative essay proves a position with evidence and answers the other side in detail; a persuasive essay aims to win over a particular reader, using evidence plus appeals to values and emotion, and often ends with a call to action.
Can I use "I" in a persuasive essay?
Often yes, especially in speeches and op-ed style essays. In academic assignments, keep the focus on reasons and evidence rather than "I believe".
How many reasons should a persuasive essay have?
Two or three well-supported reasons are more convincing than five thin ones.
Do persuasive essays need sources?
Facts and statistics should be sourced and cited; sources are also part of your credibility (ethos).
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