The short version: A strong analytical paragraph has a shape: Point → Evidence → Analysis → Link (PEAL). State a point, quote briefly, analyse the choice, link back to the question.
A paragraph that wanders loses its point; one with a clear shape almost writes itself.
Think of PEAL as four steps you can lean on under exam pressure:Point (your claim),Evidence (a short quote),Analysis (technique → effect, the whole of this unit),Link (back to the question). Learn the shape once and every paragraph gets easier.
The four steps (PEAL)
P — Point
One sentence: your claim about what the writer does / the effect.
E — Evidence
A SHORT, embedded quote — a few words, not whole lines.
A — Analysis
The heart: name the technique, its effect and audience, and link choices together — every analytical move you've been building.
L — Link
One sentence tying it back to the question or the text's purpose.
The key move: Build every paragraph as P-E-A-L, and spend most of it on A — the technique → effect analysis matters most.
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Why it matters in the exam: Criterion C (focus and organisation) rewards a ‘coherent, focused, well-organised’ response. A clear PEAL shape keeps each paragraph on one point, embeds evidence, and links back — exactly what a strong answer needs.
Write one PEAL paragraph on: “The city never sleeps; it only pretends to, one eye always open.”
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Watch out: Don't front-load a long quote and run out of room for analysis. Keep E short and spend most of the paragraph on A.