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Literacy

Writing Analytical Paragraphs (TEEL/PEEL)

3

Sort: Description or Analysis?

Sort each statement into the correct column.

The writer uses the colour red throughout the story.
The recurring use of red creates a sense of danger that keeps the reader in a state of unease.
The character speaks in short sentences.
The protagonist's fragmented speech reveals the psychological fracture at the heart of his grief.
The poem has three stanzas.
The three-stanza structure mirrors the three stages of the speaker's grief.
There is a simile in line four.
The simile in line four creates a jarring contrast between beauty and violence.
Description (says what is there)
Analysis (says how/why it works)
5

Which Is the Topic Sentence?

Circle the sentence that would make the best topic sentence for an analytical paragraph.

About a poem on war:

A. The poem is about war.
B. The poet uses imagery of darkness and decay to create a sense of hopeless desolation that reflects the psychological cost of war.

About a novel's character:

A. The main character is brave and kind.
B. The author presents the protagonist as a moral touchstone whose unwavering courage challenges the cowardice of those around her.

About a persuasive text:

A. The author uses rhetorical questions in this speech.
B. Through the repeated use of rhetorical questions, the author implicates the audience in the problem, forcing them to acknowledge their own complicity.
7

Rewrite Description as Analysis

For each statement, decide whether it is description (D) or analysis (A). Rewrite any description statements as analysis.

1. 'The writer uses a lot of short sentences at the end of the chapter.' D or A? _____ If D, rewrite as analysis:

2. 'The repeated use of short sentences during the climax creates a breathless, urgent pace that mirrors the character's panic and forces the reader to race through the lines.' D or A? _____

3. 'The author uses the metaphor of a storm to describe the character's anger.' D or A? _____ If D, rewrite as analysis:

TipAnalysis always answers 'why' or 'how' or 'what effect does this have'. Description only answers 'what'. Push for the specific — 'this creates tension' is still too vague; 'this creates tension by making the reader feel the character's paralysis as their own' is analysis.
10

Embedded or Dropped Quotation?

Circle the version that embeds the quotation more smoothly.

Which version embeds the quotation better?

A. The author writes: 'shattered'. This creates destruction.
B. The author's choice of 'shattered' suggests violent, irreversible destruction rather than mere breakage.

Which version embeds the quotation better?

A. The poem contains the line 'dark as despair'. This is imagery.
B. The simile 'dark as despair' maps an emotional state onto physical sensation, making the speaker's grief feel tangible and inescapable.
TipThe goal is to make the quotation feel like part of your sentence, not an interruption of it.
11

Integrating a Quotation

Rewrite each clunky quotation integration so it flows naturally into an analytical sentence.

Clunky: The author uses the word shattered. This creates a sense of destruction. Improved:

Clunky: There is a metaphor in the text. The author writes that her smile was a locked door, meaning she was hiding something. Improved:

Clunky: The poem has the line 'cold as a grave'. This is a simile. Improved:

TipShow your child that a well-integrated quotation is part of a sentence — subject, verb, and meaning flow through the quotation without stopping.
13

Write a Topic Sentence

For each question below, write a strong topic sentence for an analytical paragraph. Your topic sentence should make an argument — a claim about how and why something works — not just name a technique.

Question: How does the author create sympathy for the main character? Topic sentence:

Question: How does the setting contribute to the mood of the story? Topic sentence:

Question: How does the author use contrast in this extract? Topic sentence:

14

Sort: Strong or Weak Explanation?

Sort each explanation into the correct column.

This creates a mood.
The fractured syntax mirrors the character's psychological disintegration, making the reader experience his confusion directly.
The author wants the reader to feel sad.
The personification of the storm as a 'hungry beast' transforms a natural event into an agent of malevolent intent, amplifying the characters' helplessness.
This technique is effective.
The repetition of 'never' creates a drumbeat of refusal that reveals the speaker's desperate attempt to convince herself as much as her audience.
Strong Explanation (specific, arguable)
Weak Explanation (vague or descriptive)
16

Write a TEEL Paragraph

Read the extract and write a full TEEL analytical paragraph in response to the question: How does the author create a sense of danger in this extract? Label each part T / E / E / L.

Extract: 'The door at the end of the corridor was not quite closed. A thin bar of yellow light leaked from beneath it. Somewhere beyond — in the room she had promised herself she would never enter — something moved.' Write your TEEL paragraph here (label T / E / E / L):

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TipRead the extract together and discuss possible interpretations before writing. The analytical thinking should happen in conversation first — writing captures what has already been thought.
19

Improve an Explanation

Each explanation below is too vague or descriptive. Rewrite it to be more specific and analytical.

Weak: 'The metaphor creates a vivid image that makes the reader feel emotions.' Strong rewrite:

Weak: 'The author uses repetition effectively here.' Strong rewrite:

Weak: 'This shows that the character is going through a difficult time.' Strong rewrite:

TipAsk your child: could you say this about any text? If yes, it is too vague. Push for: could only say this about this specific quotation in this specific text.
21

Full TEEL Paragraph — Practise the Structure

Write a TEEL analytical paragraph about any text you are currently reading, responding to this question: How does the author develop a character so that the reader understands their motivation? Label each part.

Text and character: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph (labelled T / E / E / L):

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TipDiscuss the character together before writing. What does the character want? What is stopping them? Which specific moment in the text makes this clearest?
24

Practise the Explanation — Push Deeper

Write two versions of the explanation for the same evidence: one that stops at surface observation, and one that pushes deeper into what the language reveals about theme, character, or the author's purpose.

Evidence: 'The silence pressed down on her like a hand.' Version 1 (surface explanation — names the technique and basic effect):

Version 2 (deeper explanation — connects to character, theme, or author's purpose in this specific text):

TipThe test: could you say version 1 about any piece of writing? If yes, push to version 2. Version 2 should only be sayable about this specific text and this specific choice.
25

Rank the Topic Sentences

Sort these topic sentences from weakest to strongest by placing them in the correct column.

The author uses language techniques in this story.
The author uses contrast to create tension in the story.
The author's use of light and dark imagery creates a moral binary that positions the protagonist's choices as a conflict between hope and surrender.
There are many examples of imagery in this poem.
The imagery in this poem creates a powerful emotional effect.
The recurring imagery of water transforms the poem's landscape into an emotional mirror, reflecting the speaker's grief back at them through natural indifference.
Weakest (describes rather than argues)
Middle (begins to argue but too general)
Strongest (makes a precise, specific argument)
26

Two-Evidence Paragraph

Write a TEEL paragraph that includes two pieces of evidence (two quotations or specific references). The two pieces of evidence should build on each other — the second should deepen or complicate the point made by the first, not just repeat it.

Question: How does the author create a sense of isolation in the text? Your two-evidence TEEL paragraph:

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TipTwo pieces of evidence can strengthen a paragraph significantly. The key is that the second should say something additional: 'Furthermore...' or 'This is reinforced by...'. Discuss what each quotation adds separately.
28

Rewrite a Weak Paragraph

Rewrite the paragraph below to improve its analytical quality. Strengthen the topic sentence, improve the quotation integration, develop the explanation, and write a more effective link.

Weak paragraph: 'The author uses good language in this extract. He uses the words dark and cold. These are descriptive. They make the reader feel scared. The author writes this well and uses good techniques throughout.' Improved TEEL paragraph:

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TipWork through each part systematically: T first, then E, then E, then L. Each part should be evaluated and improved before moving to the next.
31

Write an Analytical Paragraph on a Poem

Choose a poem you have read and write a TEEL analytical paragraph in response to this question: How does the poet use language to explore a significant idea? Label each part.

Poem title and poet: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipDiscuss the poem's central idea before writing. What is the poem really about — not just on the surface? Which line or image most powerfully expresses that idea? That is your evidence.
33

Practise Analytical Vocabulary

Replace each vague analytical phrase with a more precise and powerful one. Use the replacement bank: constructs, subverts, juxtaposes, implies, positions, interrogates, undermines, foregrounds.

Vague: 'The author shows that the character is powerful.' Precise (use 'constructs' or 'positions'): ___________________________________________

Vague: 'The author changes what we expected.' Precise (use 'subverts' or 'undermines'): ___________________________________________

Vague: 'The author puts two different things next to each other.' Precise (use 'juxtaposes'): ___________________________________________

Vague: 'The author makes us look closely at this idea.' Precise (use 'foregrounds' or 'interrogates'): ___________________________________________

TipAnalytical vocabulary gives students precision. These words do specific jobs — 'implies' is not the same as 'says'; 'subverts' is not the same as 'changes'. Discuss what each word means precisely.
34

Write on a Non-Literary Text

Choose a non-literary text — an advertisement, a news article, a speech, or an opinion piece. Write a TEEL analytical paragraph responding to this question: How does the writer position the audience to accept a particular point of view?

Text type and source: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipNon-literary analytical writing is equally important. The same TEEL structure works for any text type — the technique might be different (repetition of statistics instead of a metaphor, say) but the analytical structure is the same.
36

Write Three TEEL Paragraphs on One Text

Write three separate TEEL analytical paragraphs about any text you are currently reading. Each paragraph should make a different argument about a different aspect of the text. Together, the three paragraphs should build a coherent case about the text's meaning or purpose.

Text: ___________________________________________ Paragraph 1 (labelled T/E/E/L):

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Paragraph 2 (labelled T/E/E/L):

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Paragraph 3 (labelled T/E/E/L):

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TipThis is the most demanding writing task so far. Plan the three arguments together before writing — what are the three most interesting claims you could make about this text? Are they three genuinely different arguments?
38

Practise with a Challenging Text

Find the most difficult or complex text you have read recently. Choose one moment, passage, or line that most rewards analytical attention. Write a TEEL paragraph exploring it. Then write 2–3 sentences reflecting on what made this analysis challenging.

Text and chosen passage: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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What made this analysis challenging:

TipDifficulty in analysis is a sign that the text is working — it is doing something complex. The best analytical writing comes from genuinely wrestling with a text that resists easy interpretation.
39

Sort: Which Part of TEEL?

Sort each sentence into the correct TEEL position.

The author constructs the protagonist as a figure of tragic inevitability whose choices are always already limited by the world she inhabits.
When she finally speaks — 'I always knew it would end this way' — the past tense reveals that she understood her fate long before the reader did.
The use of the past perfect 'always knew' creates a retrospective clarity that reframes every previous decision as a step towards a conclusion she could never escape.
In this way, the author interrogates the very idea of free will, positioning the reader to question whether any of the characters' choices were ever truly free.
T (Topic sentence)
E (Evidence)
E (Explanation)
L (Link)
41

Analyse an Author's Craft Choice

Choose any craft choice made by an author — a structural decision, a narrative technique, a stylistic pattern — and write a TEEL paragraph explaining how and why this choice shapes the reader's experience. Your argument should be debatable — someone should be able to disagree with it.

Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipA debatable argument is a sign of genuine analysis. If the argument is so obvious that no one could disagree, it is probably a description. The best analytical arguments have nuance and can be challenged.
44

Write a Contrasting Analytical Paragraph

Write two TEEL paragraphs that argue opposing interpretations of the same quotation or moment in a text. Both must be genuinely argued from the text — neither is 'wrong'. After writing both, write 2–3 sentences discussing which you find more convincing and why.

Text and chosen moment: ___________________________________________ Paragraph 1 (Interpretation A):

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Paragraph 2 (Interpretation B):

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Which do you find more convincing and why:

TipThe ability to construct and evaluate competing interpretations is one of the highest-level analytical skills. Discuss both arguments together — which do you each find more convincing?
46

TEEL on a Visual Text

Write a TEEL paragraph analysing a visual text — an advertisement, film poster, photograph, or political cartoon. Your topic sentence should make an argument about how a visual feature creates meaning or influences the audience. Your evidence should precisely describe the visual feature. Your explanation should connect it to effect and purpose.

Visual text: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipVisual analysis uses the same TEEL structure as literary analysis — the only difference is that the evidence is a precise description of a visual feature rather than a quotation.
47

Self-Edit a TEEL Paragraph

Take any TEEL paragraph you have written in this worksheet. Run it through the full TEEL test: T — is it an argument, not a description? E — is the evidence specific and relevant? E — is the explanation specific to this text and this quotation? L — does the link add something new? Rewrite any part that does not pass the test.

Original paragraph:

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TEEL test results (which parts passed and which need work):

Edited paragraph:

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TipSelf-editing is a skill that develops with practice. Be honest — what is the weakest part of the paragraph? That is the part that needs the most attention.
49

Analytical Paragraph on Structure

Write a TEEL paragraph analysing a structural choice in a text you have read — how the story begins, where a key revelation comes, how the ending relates to the beginning, how the narrative is sequenced. Structural analysis is as valid and rich as language analysis.

Text and structural feature: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipStructural analysis is often overlooked because students assume analysis means language analysis. The decision of where to begin or end a text, how to sequence information, what to reveal and when — these are all rich analytical territory.
50

Write a Mini-Essay

Write a three-paragraph mini-essay (three TEEL paragraphs + a brief introduction and conclusion) responding to any question about a text you have read. The essay should have a coherent argument that builds across all three paragraphs.

Text and essay question: ___________________________________________ Introduction (1–2 sentences):

Paragraph 1:

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Paragraph 2:

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Paragraph 3:

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Conclusion (2–3 sentences):

TipThis is the first complete mini-essay. The introduction should establish the argument in one or two sentences; each TEEL paragraph should develop a different aspect; the conclusion should summarise and extend the argument. Discuss the overall argument before writing.
51

Compare Two Analytical Paragraphs

Find two published analytical paragraphs about the same text or author — from a journal, a review, or a study guide. Write 5–6 sentences comparing them: How does each writer approach the topic sentence? What evidence do they use? Which explanation is stronger and why?

Source 1: ___________________________________________ Source 2: ___________________________________________ Comparative analysis:

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TipReading professional literary criticism alongside student analysis is highly valuable. Discuss what the professionals do that your child's writing could adopt.
53

Write an Argumentative Topic Sentence for a Challenging Question

Write a strong topic sentence for each of these challenging analytical questions. Each topic sentence must make a specific, arguable claim.

Question: 'Is the narrator of this story reliable?' Write a topic sentence that takes a specific position:

Question: 'Does the text challenge or reinforce social norms?' Write a topic sentence:

Question: 'To what extent is the ending satisfying or deliberately unsatisfying?' Write a topic sentence:

TipThese questions have no obvious or simple answers — that is the point. Discuss each question together before writing the topic sentence. What is the most interesting claim that can be made?
54

Analyse a Character Using TEEL

Write a TEEL paragraph that analyses a character's moral complexity — a character who cannot be simply labelled 'good' or 'bad'. Your topic sentence should reflect this complexity. Your evidence should show a moment where the character's ambiguity is most visible.

Character and text: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipMorally complex characters are what distinguishes great literature from simple stories. Discuss who the most interesting character your child has read is — what makes them resist easy labelling?
55

Analyse the Ending of a Text

Write a TEEL paragraph analysing how a text ends and what the ending suggests about the author's purpose. Is the ending resolved or unresolved? Hopeful or bleak? Expected or surprising? What does the author's choice of ending reveal about what they want the reader to take away?

Text: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph on the ending:

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TipEndings are highly significant analytical territory — they are the last thing the reader experiences and often the most deliberately crafted part of a text. Discuss the ending together before writing.
57

The Explanation as Argument

Write three versions of an explanation for the same piece of evidence, each making a slightly different interpretive argument. Then discuss: which interpretation is most defensible and why?

Evidence: 'He locked the door and did not look back.' Interpretation 1 (about resolve):

Interpretation 2 (about guilt):

Interpretation 3 (about fear):

Which is most defensible in the context of a specific text, and why:

TipMultiple interpretations of the same evidence are the hallmark of sophisticated literary analysis. There is rarely only one right reading. The skill is in choosing the most defensible one and articulating it precisely.
58

Write a Response to a NAPLAN-Style Question

Respond to this NAPLAN-style question in one well-structured TEEL paragraph: 'In the short story below, how does the author make the setting feel threatening? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.' The text: 'The forest had no name that anyone used. People went in, but not everyone came back out, and those who did return rarely spoke of what they had seen. The trees here were old enough to have their own silences.'

Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipNAPLAN analytical writing tasks require exactly the skills practised in this worksheet. Time your child — can they produce a strong TEEL paragraph in 15 minutes? That is the real-world condition.
61

Analytical Writing on Australian Literature

Write two TEEL analytical paragraphs on any Australian text you have read — fiction, poetry, or non-fiction. The two paragraphs should build a coherent case about what makes this text distinctively Australian in its concerns, language, or perspective.

Text: ___________________________________________ Paragraph 1:

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Paragraph 2:

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TipThis is a chance to discuss what 'Australian literature' means. What themes, voices, landscapes, or social concerns recur? What makes Australian writing distinctive? Discuss before writing.
62

Analytical Paragraph on a Non-Fiction Text

Write a TEEL analytical paragraph about a non-fiction text — a speech, an editorial, a memoir extract, or a popular science article. Analyse how the writer's choices of evidence, structure, and language serve their argument. The topic sentence should make a specific claim about how the text works rhetorically.

Text type and source: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipNon-fiction analysis is often overlooked but equally important. The TEEL structure works for any text that makes choices — and all texts make choices.
63

Write and Annotate an Essay Plan

Plan a complete analytical essay (five paragraphs: intro + three TEEL + conclusion) on any text you have studied. Write the essay plan in full — topic sentences for all three body paragraphs, and one piece of evidence + one-sentence explanation for each. Then annotate the plan: explain how the three paragraphs build a coherent argument.

Text and essay question: ___________________________________________ Introduction plan:

Paragraph 1 topic sentence + evidence + explanation:

Paragraph 2 topic sentence + evidence + explanation:

Paragraph 3 topic sentence + evidence + explanation:

Conclusion plan:

Annotation — how do the three paragraphs build a coherent argument:

TipA detailed essay plan is worth more than a rushed essay. Discuss the plan together before any writing — is the argument coherent? Are the three paragraphs genuinely different from each other?
64

Extended Analytical Response

Write a complete analytical essay (intro + three TEEL paragraphs + conclusion, approximately 400–500 words) on a text of your choosing. The essay should have a clear overall argument that each paragraph develops.

Your essay:

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TipThis is a major writing task. Give it real time. Read the completed essay aloud before finalising — structure, argument, and explanation quality should all be assessed. The goal is not length but analytical depth.
65

Identify and Correct TEEL Errors

The essay excerpt below contains common TEEL errors. Identify each error and explain how to fix it, then rewrite the weak paragraph.

Paragraph: 'The author does a lot of good things in this extract. He uses metaphors and similes and personification. The story is interesting. In conclusion, the author uses many techniques effectively.' Errors identified and how to fix them:

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Rewritten paragraph:

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TipError identification is a powerful learning tool — it requires knowing what a strong paragraph looks like in order to identify what a weak one is missing.
67

Analytical Writing on Ambiguity

Write a TEEL paragraph exploring an ambiguous moment in a text — a moment that can be read in two or more significantly different ways. Your topic sentence should acknowledge the ambiguity. Your explanation should explore at least two possible readings and argue why the ambiguity itself is meaningful.

Text and ambiguous moment: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipThe ability to hold two competing interpretations in mind simultaneously is a mark of sophisticated reading. Discuss the ambiguous moment together — which reading do you each prefer, and why?
68

Analyse a Text with a Social or Political Dimension

Write two TEEL paragraphs about a text that engages with a social or political issue — racism, inequality, environmental concerns, gender, power. Your analysis should connect the text's language choices to the social or political ideas it explores or challenges.

Text and social/political dimension: ___________________________________________ Paragraph 1:

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Paragraph 2:

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TipTexts are products of their social and historical contexts. Connecting literary analysis to social analysis is one of the most intellectually rewarding forms of close reading.
69

Evaluate Your Own Analytical Writing

Choose the strongest TEEL paragraph you have written in this worksheet. Write a 5–6 sentence evaluation of it: What does it do well? Where is it weakest? How would you improve it if you had more time? What mark do you think it would receive in a school assessment and why?

Paragraph you are evaluating:

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Your evaluation:

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TipSelf-evaluation is a metacognitive skill that develops with practice. Be honest and specific — generalised self-praise or self-criticism is not useful. The goal is precise identification of strengths and areas for improvement.
70

Annotated Analytical Paragraph

Write a TEEL paragraph and then add detailed annotations explaining every decision you made: why this topic sentence, why this quotation, why these specific words in your explanation, why this link. The annotations should demonstrate your understanding of the craft of analytical writing.

Your annotated TEEL paragraph:

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TipAnnotations reveal the thinking behind the writing. Read the paragraph and annotations together — do the annotations accurately describe what the paragraph is doing?
71

Analyse a Text's Opening

Write a TEEL paragraph analysing the opening of any text you have read. How does the author begin — what do they choose to foreground, and what effect does this opening create? What does the opening set up or promise for the rest of the text?

Text: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph on the opening:

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TipOpenings are among the most deliberate parts of any text. Discuss: what does this opening tell you about what the text will be concerned with? What questions does it raise?
72

Analytical Writing on Dialogue

Write a TEEL paragraph analysing how dialogue functions in a text. What do characters say? What do they not say? What does the language characters use reveal about their relationships, power dynamics, or inner states?

Text and dialogue moment: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipDialogue analysis is excellent analytical territory — what is unsaid is often as revealing as what is said. Discuss: what does the gap between what characters say and what they mean tell us?
74

Write About a Text You Disagree With

Write two TEEL paragraphs about a text you found unsatisfying, unconvincing, or flawed. Your analysis should identify specifically what is weak or problematic and argue why — using evidence from the text. This is negative criticism, and it requires just as much analytical precision as positive criticism.

Text: ___________________________________________ Paragraph 1 (negative criticism):

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Paragraph 2 (negative criticism):

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TipCritical evaluation — arguing against a text as well as for it — is an important form of analysis. The goal is not to disparage but to identify specific, evidence-based weaknesses.
76

Complete Essay Under Time Pressure

Write a complete analytical essay (intro + three TEEL paragraphs + conclusion) in 45 minutes on this question: 'Choose a text you have read this year and argue that one aspect of its craft is particularly significant.' Set a timer. The goal is to produce a complete, structured, analytically sound essay within the time limit.

Your essay:

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Self-assessment after finishing: what went well and what would you improve:

TipTimed writing is an important skill. Discuss with your child how to allocate the 45 minutes: 5 minutes planning, 35 minutes writing, 5 minutes reviewing. Read the essay together after and evaluate it honestly.
77

Read and Respond to Professional Criticism

Find a short piece of professional literary criticism or book review — from a newspaper, journal, or literary website. Read it carefully and write 5–7 sentences analysing how the critic structures their argument. Do they use TEEL-like structures? How do they integrate evidence? What makes their analysis more or less convincing?

Source: ___________________________________________ Your analysis of the critic's approach:

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TipReading professional criticism alongside student writing is enormously valuable. Discuss what the professional does that is impressive — and whether there is anything in your child's writing that is already similar.
78

Analytical Paragraph on Context

Write a TEEL paragraph that connects a text's meaning to its context — the time, place, or social conditions in which it was written. Argue that understanding the context changes or enriches the reading of a specific aspect of the text.

Text and context: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipContextual analysis is a more advanced skill that becomes increasingly important in Years 8–12. Introduce it gently — context should enrich analysis, not replace it.
79

Analytical Synthesis: What Have You Learned?

Write a reflective analysis (7–9 sentences) of your own development as an analytical writer across this worksheet. What can you do now that you could not do at the start? What is still difficult? What is the most important insight about analytical writing that you will carry forward?

Your reflective analysis:

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TipThis reflective synthesis is the most important activity — it turns individual tasks into a coherent learning narrative. Take time with it and discuss it together.
81

Write a Complete Essay on a Challenging Text

Write a complete analytical essay (intro + three TEEL + conclusion) on the most challenging text you have read this year. Choose a question that interests you genuinely. The essay should be approximately 500 words.

Your essay:

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TipThis is the most significant writing task in the worksheet. Give it the time, preparation, and revision it deserves. Read the complete essay aloud before finalising.
82

Edit a Peer's Analytical Paragraph

Exchange a TEEL paragraph with a family member or friend. Read their paragraph carefully and write an editorial comment (5–6 sentences) that: identifies the strongest part, identifies the weakest part, asks one genuine question about the interpretation, and makes one specific suggestion for improvement.

Paragraph you are editing:

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Your editorial comment:

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TipPeer editing requires analytical reading as well as analytical writing. Model the language of editorial feedback: 'I wonder whether...', 'The strongest moment is...', 'One thing to consider is...'
83

The Most Important Thing About TEEL

Write a short explanation (5–7 sentences) of what TEEL is, what it is for, and what the most important thing to understand about it is. Write it as if explaining to a student who has never heard of TEEL. Then write one sentence about what TEEL cannot do — what its limitations are.

Your explanation of TEEL:

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What TEEL cannot do:

TipUnderstanding the limitations of a framework is as important as understanding the framework itself. TEEL is a tool, not a law.
86

Teach the TEEL Structure

Design a ten-minute lesson to teach TEEL to a Year 5 student. Write the lesson plan, including: what you would say to introduce the concept, what example you would use, and how you would check whether the student understood. Write it in a clear, friendly semi-formal register.

Your lesson plan:

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TipTeaching is one of the best consolidation strategies. Evaluate your child's lesson together — is it accurate, clear, and pitched at the right level?
87

Advanced Topic Sentence Workshop

Write five topic sentences for five different analytical paragraphs about five different texts you have read. Each must: make a specific, debatable argument; indicate the technique being analysed; and gesture towards the effect on the reader or the broader significance. Then rank them from weakest to strongest and explain your ranking.

Five topic sentences: 1. ___________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________ 3. ___________________________________________ 4. ___________________________________________ 5. ___________________________________________

Your ranking (strongest to weakest) and explanation:

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TipTopic sentences are the spine of analytical writing. This workshop produces five complete analytical starting points — any one of them could become a full paragraph or essay.
88

A Letter to a Future Year 7 Student

Write a letter (8–10 sentences) to a Year 7 student who is about to begin studying analytical paragraph writing. What do you wish someone had told you at the start? What is the most important piece of advice about TEEL? What is the hardest part — and what makes it worth the effort?

Your letter:

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TipMetacognitive writing — reflecting on your own learning to advise others — is one of the most powerful consolidation tasks. Read the letter together and discuss: is the advice accurate and useful?
89

Analytical Portfolio Entry

Select the analytical paragraph you are most proud of from this entire worksheet. Copy it here and write a 5–6 sentence self-evaluation explaining: why you selected this paragraph, what makes it your best work, and what you would improve if you were revising it one more time.

Selected paragraph:

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Self-evaluation:

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TipPortfolio self-evaluation is a genuine academic skill. Read the paragraph and evaluation together — do you agree with your child's self-assessment?
91

Write About a Text That Changed You

Write two analytical paragraphs about a text that genuinely affected you — changed how you thought about something, or made you feel something you had not felt before. The analysis should be genuine, not performed. Use TEEL structure but let the intellectual and emotional honesty come through.

Text: ___________________________________________ Paragraph 1:

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Paragraph 2:

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TipThe best analytical writing is also personal — it comes from genuine engagement with a text. Share your own examples of texts that changed you and discuss them together.
92

Comparative Essay: Two Texts

Write three TEEL paragraphs comparing two texts — one paragraph on similarities, one on differences, one on which text you find more effective and why. Each paragraph should analyse specific language or craft choices from both texts.

Text 1 and Text 2: ___________________________________________ Similarities paragraph:

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Differences paragraph:

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Which is more effective and why:

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TipComparative analysis is a major form of analytical writing at Years 9–12. This introduction to it at Year 7 is excellent preparation. Discuss the comparison together before writing.
93

Analytical Writing on an Image

Write a full TEEL analytical paragraph about any image — a photograph, artwork, or film still. The analysis should work exactly like literary analysis: specific feature as evidence, explanation of how and why it creates meaning, connection to the image's broader purpose.

Image description and source: ___________________________________________ Your TEEL paragraph:

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TipVisual analytical writing uses the same core skills as literary analytical writing. If your child struggles with this, work through it together — what is the most striking feature of the image and why?
94

Write Your Finest Analytical Paragraph

Write the most analytically powerful paragraph you are capable of — choose any text, any question, any angle. Spend time planning, drafting, and revising before you write the final version here. This is your best work.

Text, question, and your finest TEEL paragraph:

Draw here
TipThis is the peak performance task of the worksheet. Give it the time and attention it deserves. Read it aloud together and discuss: is this genuinely the best analytical writing your child has produced?
95

Reflect on the Journey

Write a final synthesis (8–10 sentences) reflecting on what you have learned about analytical paragraph writing across all 94 previous activities. What are you now able to do that you could not do before? What remains challenging? What will you do differently in your next analytical task?

Your synthesis reflection:

Draw here
TipThis final synthesis reflection closes the learning loop for the worksheet. Read it together and celebrate the genuine progress made — analytical writing is hard, and the ability to do it well is genuinely valuable.
96

Create an Analytical Writing Guide

Create a concise one-page analytical writing guide that you could use in future. Include: the TEEL structure with definitions, the specificity test, a list of analytical vocabulary, tips for the topic sentence, and one example of a strong TEEL paragraph. Write it as a reference tool you will actually use.

Your analytical writing guide:

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TipA well-designed reference guide is a genuine study tool. Make it visually organised and genuinely useful. Keep it with your writing materials.
98

Extended Comparative Essay

Write a complete five-paragraph comparative essay (intro + three TEEL + conclusion) comparing two texts you have studied this year. The essay should make a clear overall argument about how the two texts approach a shared theme or technique differently.

Your comparative essay:

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TipExtended comparative essays are a cornerstone of senior English. This is excellent preparation. Discuss the overall argument before writing — what is the most interesting claim you can make about how these two texts compare?
99

Publish Your Best Work

Choose the analytical piece from this worksheet that you are most proud of. Prepare it for sharing — edit it carefully, ensure it is correctly structured and expressed, and write a 2–3 sentence introduction explaining what the piece is and why you chose it. Share it with someone — a family member, a friend, or post it somewhere your writing can be read.

Your piece and introduction:

Draw here

Who will you share it with:

TipAuthentic audience is the most powerful motivation for writing quality. Even sharing with one person beyond the home education context is meaningful. Celebrate this moment — producing high-quality analytical writing is a genuine intellectual achievement.