Building a thesis
A thesis is the one sentence your whole essay exists to prove. It is not a topic ("this note is about tension") and it is not a fact ("the writer uses short sentences"). It is a claim: an idea someone could, in theory, disagree with, which you then defend with evidence.
A useful shape is: the writer does X in order to achieve Y. That "in order to" forces you past naming a technique and towards its effect, which is where the marks live.
- Thesis
- The central argument of your response, stated in one sentence, that every paragraph then supports. A good thesis answers the exact question set and could be argued against.
Test your draft thesis by asking "could a sensible person disagree?" If the answer is no, you have written a fact, not an argument. Sharpen it until it takes a position.
Avoid the "shopping list" thesis
"The writer uses metaphor, alliteration and short sentences" lists devices but makes no argument. It leads to an essay that spots techniques without ever explaining why they matter. Name an effect, then let the devices become your evidence for it.
Topic sentences that work
Each body paragraph should open with a topic sentence: a mini claim that is one slice of your thesis. Read your topic sentences on their own, one after another, and they should sound like a short summary of your argument. If they do, the essay is well organised. If they jump about, the structure is broken no matter how good the detail is.
A reliable topic sentence names an idea, not a moment in the text. Compare "In the second paragraph, the dog barks" (an event) with "The writer uses sound to shatter the calm he has built" (an idea). The second gives the paragraph a job.
| Weak opener | Why it is weak | Stronger version |
|---|---|---|
| Firstly, there is a simile. | Spots a device, no argument | The writer's similes make the ordinary feel threatening. |
| Then the character leaves. | Retells the plot | The character's departure marks the story's turn towards loss. |
| The mood is sad. | Vague, no cause | Careful word choice builds a mood of quiet grief. |
Quick planning methods
Different tasks suit different quick plans. Pick one and practise it until it is automatic, so under pressure you are not also inventing a method.
The spine is the fastest: thesis, then three topic sentences, then one piece of evidence each. The table suits comparison tasks: two columns for the two texts, rows for the ideas you will compare, so you never forget to cover both sides. The quick web suits open prompts: write the question in the middle, branch out every idea, then circle the best three and number them into an order.
Whichever you use, finish planning by deciding the order of your points. A common strong order is to build from the most obvious point to the most subtle, so the essay feels like it deepens rather than repeats.
Order is part of structure
Two essays can contain the same three points and score differently. The one that arranges them so each paragraph leads into the next reads as organised and deliberate, which is what Criterion B is looking for.
A modelled outline
Below is an original outline I wrote for the prompt "Analyse how a poet presents the passing of time." It shows a thesis and three topic sentences that clearly belong to the same argument.
Task: Analyse how the poet presents the passing of time.
Each topic sentence links back to the words "gentle yet impossible to stop" in the thesis. If a paragraph will not connect to your thesis, either rewrite the paragraph or widen the thesis, but never leave the two disagreeing.
Check yourself
1. What is the quickest test of whether a sentence is really a thesis? +
Ask whether a sensible person could disagree with it. If they could, it is a claim you can defend, which is a thesis. If no one could disagree, you have written a fact or a topic, and it needs sharpening into an argument.
2. How can you test the overall structure of an essay before writing it? +
Read your topic sentences on their own, in order. If they sound like a short, joined up summary of your argument, the structure holds. If they feel disconnected, reorder or rewrite them before you start the paragraphs.
3. Why does the order of your points matter for Criterion B? +
Because Criterion B rewards organisation, not just the presence of ideas. Arranging points so each leads into the next, often from the most obvious to the most subtle, makes the response feel deliberate and easy to follow, which lifts the mark.
Part of the English L&L library. Spotted an error or want a topic added? That feedback makes the notes better.