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Year 9 English · Analytical essay structure

Name: ______________________

Date: ____________

1. Which is the strongest thesis statement?
- ☐ (a) This essay is about the novel.
- ☐ (b) The novel has many characters.
- ☐ (c) The novel portrays greed as a force that isolates people from those who love them.
- ☐ (d) I liked the novel a lot.
2. What should NOT appear in a conclusion?
- ☐ (a) A restated thesis
- ☐ (b) New quotations and evidence
- ☐ (c) A synthesis of the arguments
- ☐ (d) A broader reflection
3. Which word is an analytical verb?
- ☐ (a) Says
- ☐ (b) Has
- ☐ (c) Does
- ☐ (d) Critiques
4. Which phrase is the best signpost to introduce a contrasting argument?
- ☐ (a) In contrast,
- ☐ (b) Firstly,
- ☐ (c) Similarly,
- ☐ (d) Also,
5. What are the usual three parts of an introduction?
- ☐ (a) Quotation, plot summary, opinion
- ☐ (b) Context, thesis, preview of arguments
- ☐ (c) Question, answer, question
- ☐ (d) Evidence, evidence, link
6. What is the central argument of an essay called? (one word)
7. What is the term for drawing ideas together to show how they combine? (one word)
8. Words like 'Furthermore' and 'Ultimately' that guide the reader are called… (one word)

Answer sheet

1. The novel portrays greed as a force that isolates people from those who love them. — It takes a clear, arguable position about the text's ideas.
2. New quotations and evidence — Evidence belongs in body paragraphs; the conclusion draws the argument together.
3. Critiques — 'Critiques' precisely describes what an author is doing.
4. In contrast, — 'In contrast' tells the reader the next idea differs from the last.
5. Context, thesis, preview of arguments — Context orients the reader, the thesis states the argument and the preview maps the essay.
6. Thesis — The thesis is the main argument the essay sets out to prove.
7. Synthesis — Conclusions synthesise rather than simply list arguments.
8. Signposting — Signposting makes the structure of an argument clear.