Persuasive Writing: NAPLAN Criteria and How to Teach It

What persuasive writing is, and what makes it work

A persuasive text argues for a position, to bring a reader round to a view or to act on it. It states the position, gives reasons, develops each one with explanation and examples, and closes by bringing the reader back to the decision. In NAPLAN, a persuasive text is marked on ten criteria: nine share their names with the narrative criteria, and the tenth is persuasive devices.

Strong persuasive writing is less about technique than about a reader. A student who knows who they’re writing for, and what that reader already thinks, makes most of the right choices without a checklist of devices.

A position the reader can’t miss. Stated early, held to the end, and the same in the introduction and the conclusion.
Reasons that are developed, not listed. One reason explained with an example does more work than five reasons in a row. Our free persuasive lesson is built on this: a position, a reason, and an example that develops it.
A real reader. Who is deciding (the school council, the principal, parents), what do they care about, and what would they object to?
An answer to the other side. Naming the strongest objection and answering it shows the writer has thought about the issue, not only their side of it.
Claims as strong as the evidence. “Should encourage” persuades a careful reader more than “will guarantee”. Measured, precise words build trust.

The usual shape is an introduction that states the position, a body with a paragraph for each reason, and a conclusion that brings the reader back to the decision. Teach it as a planning aid rather than a formula: the lesson’s position, reason and example pattern is a starting point that students should grow out of.

How NAPLAN marks a persuasive text: the ten criteria

NAPLAN marks a persuasive text on ten criteria, each on its own scale starting at 0, for 48 marks in all. Nine have the same names as the narrative criteria. Persuasive devices takes the place of character and setting, and paragraphing is marked out of 3 rather than 2.

Our free course, Inside the marking guide, explains each criterion through the narrative guide’s sample stories. For the criteria the two guides share, the films are still the quickest way in; the table below says where the persuasive guide asks for something of its own.

The ten persuasive criteria, 48 marks in all. Each name but persuasive devices links to its film, which uses narrative samples.
Criterion	What it looks for	Marks
Audience	How well the writing orients, engages and persuades its reader. Where the narrative guide asks a story to affect the reader, a persuasive text has to move them.	0–6
Text structure	How the introduction, body and conclusion are organised to carry the argument, from a stated position to a close that returns to it.	0–4
Ideas	How well the reasons are chosen, kept relevant and elaborated. One reason developed with an example counts for more than a list.	0–5
Persuasive devices	How well the writer uses devices (a rhetorical question, repetition, inclusive or emotive language, modal verbs such as should and must) to strengthen the position. It rewards devices that work for this reader, not a count of them.	0–4
Vocabulary	The range and precision of the words, and how well they suit the argument and its reader, including how strong a claim each word makes.	0–5
Cohesion	How the argument holds together: connectives that show how the reasons relate (because, however, as a result), and references a reader can follow.	0–4
Paragraphing	Whether the paragraphs help the reader follow the line of argument, usually one developed reason to each.	0–3
Sentence structure	Are the sentences right, how are they built, and what are they doing? The same scale as a narrative.	0–6
Punctuation	Sentence punctuation first, then everything else; with too many full stops missing, the score can’t go above 2. The same scale as a narrative.	0–5
Spelling	The accuracy of the spelling and the difficulty of the words attempted, not a count of mistakes. The same scale as a narrative.	0–6

These are our plain-English summaries, not ACARA’s descriptors. The linked films use narrative samples; persuasive devices has no film. For the persuasive guide’s own scales and annotated samples, read the official marking guides.

What strong persuasive writing looks like, Year 3 to Year 9

NAPLAN writing is sat in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, and every year level is marked on the same ten criteria and the same scales. What changes is what a strong piece tends to show. These descriptions are our planning guide, not ACARA standards or NAPLAN proficiency levels: use them to decide what to teach, and check them against the guide’s annotated samples and the curriculum’s achievement standard for your year level.

Year 3: a clear position, with reasons

The position in the first sentence or two, and the same position at the end.
Two or three reasons, at least one explained with an example from the writer’s own life.
Writing to someone: “you” and “we”, a question put to the reader.
Simple connectives that link the reasons (because, also, so, another reason is).
Capital letters and full stops in place, and common words spelled correctly.

Year 5: each reason in its own paragraph, developed

An introduction that states the position and previews the reasons.
A paragraph for each reason, opening with the reason and developing it with an example.
Connectives that show how ideas relate (however, as a result, for example), not only firstly, secondly and thirdly.
A few devices chosen for the reader, and a conclusion that restates the position and asks for something.

Year 7: an argument that answers back

Reasons ordered for effect, with the strongest placed deliberately.
The other side named and answered.
Examples the reader can trust: from experience, general knowledge or a named source, never invented figures.
Modality under control (might, should, must), so each claim is as strong as its support.
Precise vocabulary suited to the reader, with emotive language used sparingly.

Year 9: a sustained, measured line of argument

An argument that builds, each paragraph adding to the last rather than standing alone.
Complexity acknowledged: conditions, trade-offs, who gains and who loses.
A credible voice: measured claims, and devices woven into the argument rather than stacked on top of it.
Sentences and paragraphs varied in length for emphasis.
A conclusion that takes the argument somewhere (what now, what if) rather than repeating it.

Common problems, and quick classroom moves

Most class sets show the same handful of problems. Each one below comes with the criteria it costs and a move that fits in ten minutes. Pick one at a time: ten criteria are too many to teach at once.

The position wobbles

Costs marks in AudienceText structure

The introduction says one thing, a middle paragraph concedes the opposite, and the conclusion lands somewhere in between. The reader finishes unsure what they were asked to agree with.

In class

Say it in one sentence. Before writing, each student says their position aloud in one sentence: “… should …, because …”. After writing, they underline the position in the introduction and the conclusion, and check that the two match.

Reasons listed, not developed

Costs marks in Ideas

“We should have a garden because gardens are good. Gardens are nice and everyone likes them.” Each reason gets a sentence, and none is explained.

In class

One reason, one example. Ask what “good” means for this reader, then develop one reason with an example that makes it concrete. The persuasive lesson models this with a school garden, and uses the sentences above as its contrast.

Devices stacked up

Costs marks in Persuasive devices

Three rhetorical questions in a row, an exclamation mark on every claim, “Imagine …” in every paragraph. Students taught a list of devices often try to use them all.

In class

Cut and keep. Take every device out of one paragraph, then put back only the ones that move this reader. Ask the writer to explain why each one stayed.

“Firstly … Secondly … In conclusion”

Costs marks in Cohesion

Every paragraph opens with a counting word, so the reader learns the order of the reasons but not how they relate to each other.

In class

Say how they connect. Replace one counting word with a connective that shows the relationship: because, however, as a result, even so. The sentence combining activities practise the same choice inside a sentence.

The other side never appears

Costs marks in IdeasPersuasive devices

The argument only works on a reader who already agrees. Anyone with a doubt is given nothing to change their mind.

In class

The best argument against. Students write the strongest objection in one sentence, then answer it.

Claims bigger than the evidence

Costs marks in VocabularyAudience

“Junk food will ruin every student’s life.” “Ninety-nine per cent of doctors agree.” Absolute claims and invented figures are easy to write and hard for a careful reader to believe.

In class

Match the word to the evidence. Compare encourage, promote and ensure, and ask which one the writer can actually support.

Paragraphs that don’t follow the argument

Costs marks in Paragraphing

The text is one block, or every sentence is its own paragraph, or two reasons share a paragraph while a third is split across two.

In class

One reason to a paragraph. Students number their reasons in the margin, then check that each number sits in one paragraph that opens by stating it. AERO’s practice guide on writing paragraphs goes further.

Sentences that run on

Costs marks in Sentence structurePunctuation

A paragraph-long sentence held together with “and” and commas. With too many full stops missing, punctuation can’t score above 2 out of 5, whatever else is on the page.

In class

Read it as it’s punctuated. The writer reads the paragraph aloud exactly as it’s punctuated, and hears where each sentence should end.

Prompts, lessons and a marked example

Persuasive prompts to use

Each prompt names a real decision and leaves the position to the student. Each has a page with planning questions, a student checklist and teaching notes, and a PDF to print.

Ban Junk Food?: Write to persuade a reader whether junk food should be banned from school canteens.
Save Our Playgrounds: Write to persuade a reader why playgrounds are important and should be protected or improved.
School Uniform: Write to persuade a reader whether schools should or should not have a uniform policy.
Should Screens Replace Teachers?: Write to persuade a reader whether technology should replace teachers in the future.

See every NAPLAN writing prompt

Lessons

Plan a writing cycle with time for the next draft. From a model text to drafting, focused feedback, revision and a later check.

A marked example

The marked example, from first draft to second, is a narrative: Mia’s Year 5 story “Swooping Season”. So it shows character and setting in place of persuasive devices.

A checklist for students

Make your position clear in the introduction.
Organise your reasons into paragraphs.
Explain each reason with a relevant example.
Choose words carefully to convince your reader.
Finish with a conclusion, then reread and edit.

Questions teachers ask about persuasive writing

What are the NAPLAN persuasive writing criteria?

Ten: audience, text structure, ideas, persuasive devices, vocabulary, cohesion, paragraphing, sentence structure, punctuation and spelling. Each is scored on its own scale, from 0 up to between 3 and 6 marks, for 48 marks in all. Nine share their names with the narrative criteria; persuasive devices is the persuasive guide’s own.

What are persuasive devices?

Choices that move a reader towards the writer’s position: a rhetorical question, repetition for effect, inclusive language (we, our school), emotive words, modal verbs (should, must), an objection raised and answered. The criterion rewards devices that strengthen the argument for this reader, not the number used.

Do students need to include a counter-argument?

No criterion asks for one by name. But answering the strongest objection is one of the surest signs of a developed argument, and it gives a reader with doubts a reason to change their mind. Teach it once students can develop a single reason well.

Can students use “I think” and “I believe”?

Yes, to state the position once, plainly. Used in every sentence, they make each reason sound like an opinion rather than a case. Encourage students to state the position, then argue it.

Should students make up statistics?

No. An invented figure is easy to spot and costs the writer the reader’s trust. Teach students to argue from what they know, from their own experience and things most readers will recognise, and to name a source when they use one.

How long should a persuasive text be?

There is no criterion for length. Three reasons, each developed with an example, do more than ten reasons listed. In a timed task, a few minutes spent planning the position and the reasons is time well spent.

How is persuasive marking different from narrative marking?

Nine of the ten criteria share their names, and sentence structure, punctuation and spelling are marked the same way in both. The persuasive guide adapts audience, text structure, ideas, cohesion and paragraphing to argument, has persuasive devices where a narrative has character and setting, and marks paragraphing out of 3 rather than 2: 48 marks in all, against 47 for a narrative.

Where Writing Boost fits

Writing Boost marks persuasive writing on these ten criteria within minutes. Each student gets feedback on one thing to work on and a second draft to try it in. Teachers see the class criterion by criterion, and leaders see every class. The scores are a starting point for your judgement, not official NAPLAN results.

Follow a marked example from first draft to revision, or see how Writing Boost works.

Sources

The films linked from this page quote the 2026 NAPLAN Writing Marking Guide – Narrative, © Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2026, licensed under CC BY 4.0; the punctuation limit above is from that guide. ACARA does not endorse any product that uses its material.

Writing Boost is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ACARA. The criterion summaries, year-level descriptions and classroom moves on this page are ours; they are not ACARA’s descriptors, proficiency standards or levels, and Writing Boost scores are not official NAPLAN results.

How to teach persuasive writing

What persuasive writing is, and what makes it work

How NAPLAN marks a persuasive text: the ten criteria