Practising Non-Fiction Essays with the PEEL Structure

Homework due 15 November: write a PEEL body paragraph, using a smaller font size such as 9 if space is short. The focus is the Point and Explanation (clear opinion and reason).

This session is a report of a lesson on writing non-fiction (expository) essays with the PEEL structure: Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link. The teacher says the page 8 order is the one to know thoroughly because it is used for every essay.

Fiction vs non-fiction memory aid: fiction starts with f like fake; non-fiction means not fake, so real.

Statement question: give a Yes or No answer. An 'To what extent' question: give your own view, often using 'it depends on' with conditions for agreeing and disagreeing. Responding the wrong way can lower the score.

Write the Point as a one-sentence conclusion or summary that directly answers the essay question. It can be short and does not have to follow the evidence.

Introduce Evidence with 'For example' or 'For instance'. Use 'most schools' rather than 'all schools' when not every case applies.

Write the Explanation by explaining each key term in your evidence step by step, not by repeating the evidence. Define the nouns, and explain every part, including linking cause and effect.

Write the Link to answer the original question again, paraphrasing the Point in different words. A sentence starting with 'Therefore' that answers the question directly is a clue for a Link or Explanation.

Five angles to find your point: health, money, environment, safety, fairness. Make the point specific so it does not mix two angles, for example safety for motorists and pedestrians versus environment.

In an essay, do not use contractions. Use an apostrophe only to show possession, as in Luke's cat; write 'it is' in full.

Worked example: for 'Should the government charge people for plastic bags?', the point was that charging harms less of the environment and animals. The explanation covers non-biodegradable plastic lasting long and ending up in the ocean, and toxic plastic ingested or consumed by animals. The link reuses the point's words and adds that charging reduces plastic bag use.

Keep asking yourself 'why' and write each answer down, building logical step-by-step reasoning like in maths. Use AI to learn the background knowledge, but write naturally in English rather than translating word by word.

For the homework topics, work backwards: from a stated view on a school-rule topic, write the essay question it answers. Do this for four questions.

Next week the class will write a piece together, at around 300 words. Clarity and completeness matter more than length. Last week's homework still needs to be done.

Lesson report on writing non-fiction essays with PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link): how to write each part, a plastic bag worked example, and homework.

<p>Homework due 15 November: write a PEEL body paragraph, using a smaller font size such as 9 if space is short. The focus is the Point and Explanation (clear opinion and reason).</p>


<p>Write the Point as a one-sentence conclusion or summary that directly answers the essay question. It can be short and does not have to follow the evidence.</p>


PEEL Paragraph Writing Lesson: Explanation and Essay Questions

Lesson setup and PEEL review

Extend versus statement questions

Thesis and example for library question

Explaining evidence terms

Identifying PEEL parts in passage

Choosing angles and plastic bag points

Writing and explaining plastic bag paragraph

Refining explanation, link, and wording

Homework and essay question practice

Remaining homework and wrap-up

A tutoring lesson focused on structuring argumentative paragraphs with the PEEL method (point, evidence, explanation, link). The teacher works through examples on school libraries, cars in city centres, plastic bag charges, and essay question types, then assigns homework for 15 November and asks the student to practise writing essay questions from topic statements.