Text type · BHS only · Broschüre

The leaflet

Inform and persuade at a glance

Word count

~250 words

Persuasive, reader-friendly

Title

Required – plus subheadings

Key feature

Headed sections + call to action

Layout

Main title – names the offer or event clearly and makes people want to read on

Short intro / hook – ~30–40 words – say what this is and why it matters to the reader

Subheading + section 1 – one benefit or block of information under its own heading

Subheading + section 2 – the next point: short, easy to scan, one idea per section

Subheading + section 3 – the third content point under its own heading

Call to action – tell the reader the one thing to do next (come, sign up, get in touch)

Practical details – date, time, place, price, website, phone – the facts people need

Do’s and don’ts

Do

Give it a clear title and break the text into short, headed sections
Know exactly who the leaflet is for and write straight to them
Tell readers what they gain from the offer, then give the facts
Keep sections short and easy to scan: people read a leaflet quickly, often standing up
Address the reader directly ("you") and use imperatives: come along, find out more
End with a clear call to action – the one thing you want the reader to do
Add the practical details: date, time, place, price, how to get in touch
Match the register to the audience and keep it easy to read: no slang, no official-sounding language

Don’t

Don't write one long block of text; break it into short sections with headings
Don't leave out the subheadings: they show at once that this is a leaflet
Don't tell a personal story from your own life (that belongs in a blog)
Don't weigh arguments for and against: a leaflet promotes one thing
Don't use slang or text-message spelling
Don't forget the call to action and the contact details: readers need to know what to do next

Weaker

“This leaflet provides information about the annual town festival taking place in the market square.”

Stronger

“Live music, free food and the whole town in one square: the Seetal Festival is back, and you are invited.”

Why it matters: A leaflet has to catch the attention of someone who looks at it for two seconds at a bus stop. The weak version describes itself like a report and gives no reason to read on. The strong version starts with what the reader gets and speaks to them directly.

Key tip · A leaflet (in German often „Broschüre“) informs and persuades a target audience. The layout does half the work: a clear title, short sections with headings, direct address and a call to action. Imagine someone reading it quickly at a bus stop: they should get the message in a few seconds. Keep the register persuasive but careful: warmer than a report, more careful than a blog. You write only the text (title, headed sections, call to action), with no drawings or layout design.

Download this guide as a PDF ↓The whole guide as a PDF, for revising on paper.

Practise this text type

Pick a task, write it, then let the self-check look at your draft. The task bank has 5 leaflet tasks.

Your school is holding an open day for pupils from local secondary schools and their parents. Your English teacher has asked you to write the text for the leaflet.

Write a leaflet (around 250 words). Give it a title and use meaningful subheadings.

explain what visitors can see and do on the day
describe what makes your school worth choosing
give the practical details and invite readers to come

Your town is introducing kerbside recycling and the town office wants a leaflet for every household. You have offered to write the English version.

Write a leaflet (around 250 words) for local residents. Give it a title and use subheadings.

explain how the new scheme works
describe why it is worth taking part
tell readers how to sign up and where to get more information

A local youth centre is starting a summer programme and wants to attract teenagers from the area.

Write a leaflet (around 250 words) aimed at teenagers. Give it a catchy title and use subheadings.

describe the activities on offer
explain why teenagers should join
give the practical details (when, where, cost) and a clear call to action

Mock exam

Overview

Unabhängige Übungsseite von Bernhard Gmeiner, kein offizielles Dokument des BMB. Die Übungsaufgaben sind nachgebaut. Es zählt die Bewertung deiner Lehrkräfte.