Non-Fiction and Persuasive Comprehension
Non-Fiction and Persuasive Comprehension is the 13+ Common Entrance skill of reading a non-fiction text written to persuade, such as a speech or advert, and identifying the writer's viewpoint, purpose and persuasive techniques such as rhetorical question, repetition and emotive language.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Identify the text type and its likely purpose before reading closely: is it an advert, a speech, a letter to a newspaper, or a leaflet, and who is it trying to persuade?
- Skim the whole text once to establish the writer's overall viewpoint, for or against the issue, before answering detailed questions.
- Learn to name persuasive techniques precisely: rhetorical question, repetition, the rule of three, emotive language, statistics or facts, direct address to the reader ('you'), anecdote, and expert opinion.
- For 'identify and explain the effect' questions, quote the exact technique, name it, then explain the feeling or reaction it is designed to create in the reader.
- Separate fact from opinion: a fact can be checked and proven true or false, while an opinion is a personal judgement, often signalled by words such as 'clearly', 'obviously', or 'the best'.
- For questions worth several marks that ask how a writer tries to persuade, cover at least two or three different techniques, each with its own short quotation and its own explained effect, rather than repeating the same point.
- Consider structure as well as language: a persuasive text often opens with a strong claim or a short anecdote, builds evidence in the middle, and closes with a direct call to action.
Worked example
In a leaflet urging people to support a local river-cleaning campaign, the writer states: 'Every single year, thousands of fish die in our polluted river. Do you want to be the generation that let this happen?' Identify two persuasive techniques used here and explain their effect on the reader.
- Identify the first technique: the exaggerated scale of 'thousands of fish die', which uses a large, alarming figure to make the problem feel serious.
- Explain its effect: it makes the pollution feel like a large and urgent problem, creating concern in the reader before any solution is offered.
- Identify the second technique: the rhetorical question, 'Do you want to be the generation that let this happen?'
- Explain its effect: by directly addressing the reader as 'you' and naming their generation, it makes the reader feel personally responsible, pressuring them to agree that they do not want this outcome, without expecting a spoken answer.
Practice questions
Try each question, then tap to reveal the answer.
Q1What is a rhetorical question, and why do persuasive writers use them?Show answer
Answer: A question asked for effect rather than to get a spoken answer; writers use them to make the reader think, agree with a point, or feel involved in the argument.
Q2Is the claim 'this is the most dangerous road crossing in the whole town' a fact or an opinion? Explain your answer.Show answer
Answer: An opinion - it is a judgement that has not been proven with evidence, such as accident statistics, and other people might reasonably disagree with it.
Q3Name the persuasive technique used in this slogan: 'Save money. Save time. Save the planet.'Show answer
Answer: The rule of three - three short phrases in a list, each starting with the same word, which makes the message rhythmic and memorable.
Q4A charity advert says: 'You could change a child's life today.' Which word directly addresses the reader, and what effect does this have?Show answer
Answer: 'You' - it speaks straight to the reader, making the appeal feel personal and immediate rather than a general statement about charity.
Q5Give one example of emotive language a writer might use to persuade readers to support an animal shelter.Show answer
Answer: For example, describing the animals as 'abandoned', 'terrified' or 'starving' - words chosen deliberately to make the reader feel sympathy or sadness.
Q6A speech opens with the line: 'Imagine losing your home in a single night.' What technique is this, and why is it an effective opening?Show answer
Answer: A direct appeal to the reader's imagination; it is effective because it makes an abstract issue feel personal and immediate before the writer has given any facts.
Q7A campaign letter opens with a short, true story about one family affected by flooding, before giving any statistics. What is this technique called, and why might a writer use it first?Show answer
Answer: An anecdote - the writer uses it first to make the issue feel real and personal, building the reader's sympathy before presenting wider evidence such as statistics.
Q8A leaflet states: 'Experts agree that recycling just one more item a week could transform our town's waste problem.' Name one persuasive technique used here.Show answer
Answer: Appeal to expert opinion ('experts agree'), which makes the claim feel more trustworthy and authoritative to the reader.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 13+ Common Entrance exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Look at this sentence from a leaflet encouraging people to use a new cycle path: 'Choose the cycle path once, and you'll want to choose it every day.' Identify the persuasive technique used and explain its effect on the reader.
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Read this extract from a school newsletter encouraging pupils to join the recycling club: 'Every can. Every bottle. Every scrap of paper. It all counts, and it all starts with you.' Explain how the writer uses language here to persuade pupils to get involved. Refer to at least two techniques in your answer.
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This is the closing paragraph of a speech to parents about a new school minibus appeal: 'We are not asking for the impossible. We are asking for ten pounds, once, from every family who can spare it. Ten pounds. That is the price of two cinema tickets, and it could be the difference between a child reaching a football match or missing it completely. Please, give what you can.' Explain how the writer builds a persuasive argument across this paragraph. Refer to at least three techniques or details in your answer.
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the non-fiction and persuasive comprehension worksheet pack - 9 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. One email opens every download in this browser for 14 days - no account, no card. Print it for personal and classroom use.
This topic is chapter 3 of 13+ English Workbook, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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