Use these Persuasive English Structures to Speak Confidently

Intermediate Level | May 6, 2025

Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.

If you want to succeed at work, you need more than just good English—you need persuasive English structures. That means knowing how to express your ideas clearly, confidently, and in a way that gets people to listen. The good news? You don’t need to be a native speaker to sound persuasive. You just need a few simple structures that work in everyday business situations.

Today, we’ll show you three structures that can help you make your point and sound more confident in meetings, emails, and conversations.

Structure 1: “The Because Structure”

When you give a reason, people are more likely to agree with you. Even simple reasons can make your ideas sound stronger.

Example:
“Let’s move the meeting to 10 a.m. because it gives the design team more time to prepare.”

This structure is helpful in meetings and quick decisions. Try adding “because” to your next request.

Structure 2: “The Past–Present–Future”

This is perfect for updates and reports. It helps you organize your ideas clearly:

What we did → What we’re doing → What’s next.

Example:
“Last week we reviewed the data. Now we’re running tests. Next, we’ll present our findings.”

This structure makes your speech sound organized and professional.

Structure 3: “If… Then…”

This is useful for giving suggestions or showing the result of a decision.

Example:
“If we start the project this week, then we can launch before the end of the quarter.”

It helps others see the benefit of your idea clearly.

Practice Time

Try using these structures in your next meeting or email:

Make a suggestion using “because.”
Give a project update using “past–present–future.”
Recommend a plan using “if… then…”

Practice these with your tutor or a colleague. The more you use them, the more natural they will feel.

Vocabulary List

Persuasive (adjective) — Able to convince others.
Example: She gave a persuasive presentation.
Structure (noun) — A way something is organized.
Example: That email had a clear structure.
Confident (adjective) — Feeling sure about yourself.
Example: He sounded confident during the meeting.
Suggest (verb) — To give an idea or recommendation.
Example: I suggest we meet on Friday.
Benefit (noun) — A good result.
Example: The main benefit is faster delivery.
Organize (verb) — To arrange or plan.
Example: She organized her ideas well.
Launch (verb) — To start or release.
Example: We’ll launch the app next month.
Prepare (verb) — To get ready.
Example: They’re preparing the report now.
Clearly (adverb) — In a way that is easy to understand.
Example: Please explain your idea clearly.
Result (noun) — The outcome of something.
Example: What was the result of the test?

5 Questions About the Article

What does it mean to be persuasive in English?
Why is the word “because” helpful in conversations?
What are the three parts of the “Past–Present–Future” structure?
How can the “If… Then…” structure be used?
Why do these structures help in business settings?

5 Open-Ended Discussion Questions

Do you often need to persuade people at work?
Which of these structures do you already use?
How do you usually give updates during meetings?
Can you think of a time when giving a reason changed someone’s mind?
What’s one way you could use these structures this week?

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