A persuasive essay is similar to a personal essay and literary essay. The key difference is that the central statement of the essay, or thesis statement, is something that other people may not agree with. Therefore, a student writing a persuasive essay has to provide enough evidence to sway the reader to the student''s opinion. Some characteristics of persuasive essays include:
a thesis statement;
transition words, such as "for instance," "in addition," and "in conclusion;"
introduction and conclusion paragraphs; and
a counter-argument.
Examples:
Personal Narratives Rubric - Ms. Becker uses this rubric to grade students' Persuasive Essays.
Personal Narratives - CCSS - Students complete these Common Core State Standards by writing Persuasive Essays.