How to Plan an Essay: KS3 English

Planning an essay for KS3 English means deciding your overall argument before you write, choosing two or three key points that support it, identifying the evidence or quotations you will use for each, and sketching the order in which the points will build. A plan takes five minutes and saves twenty — an unplanned essay almost always wanders.

Why does planning matter?

Many students skip planning because writing feels more productive than thinking. But an essay without a plan tends to repeat ideas, contradict itself, and trail off at the end. A plan gives you three things:

A clear argument to maintain from introduction to conclusion.

A logical order so each point builds on the last.

A safety net — if you lose your train of thought mid-sentence, the plan tells you where you are going.

Think of it this way: a plan is not extra work before the essay; it is the thinking that makes the essay possible.

Step 1 — Decode the question before anything else

Before planning, spend two minutes on the question itself. Underline the key words and identify:

What you are being asked (to argue, compare, analyse, explore, explain?).

Which text(s) you must focus on.

Any limits — "in the first chapter", "from the writer's perspective", "referring closely to language".

A plan built on a misread question is worse than no plan at all.

Step 2 — Form your overall argument in one sentence

Before listing points, ask yourself: What do I actually think about this question? Write one sentence that answers the question directly. This is your thesis — the position your whole essay will defend.

For example, if the question is "How does Dickens present the character of Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'?", your thesis might be: Dickens presents Scrooge as a man made miserly by loss, whose redemption is plausible precisely because his isolation is self-constructed.

Your thesis does not need to be this sophisticated, but it does need to be your position — not just a description of what the text is about.

Step 3 — Choose your three main points

Most KS3 essays work best with three main points, each developed in its own paragraph. A good point:

Directly supports your thesis.

Can be evidenced with a quotation, example, or reference to the text.

Is different from the other points — not a paraphrase of the same idea.

A quick planning table helps here:

Point | Evidence / Quotation | Effect / Technique
Scrooge's coldness is linked to his environment | "Hard and sharp as flint" (simile) | Makes him seem inhuman, a geological force not a man
His past is shown to explain, not excuse, his behaviour | Scenes with Belle | Reader understands without fully forgiving
His transformation is rapid but earned by context | "I am as light as a feather!" | Childlike language signals return to innocence

Step 4 — Decide the order that builds an argument

The order of your points matters. Consider: which point is your strongest? Many teachers advise putting your strongest point first (to hook the reader) or last (for maximum impact). Either works, but be deliberate.

Also consider whether your points have a logical sequence — does point 2 grow naturally from point 1? An essay that feels like a coherent argument is almost always one where each paragraph follows from the previous one.

Step 5 — Sketch your introduction and conclusion

Your introduction should:

Briefly acknowledge the question.

State your thesis.

Indicate how you will approach the question (without listing your points mechanically).

Your conclusion should:

Restate your thesis in different words.

Reflect on what the evidence shows overall.

Not introduce a new point — save all your evidence for the body paragraphs.

A conclusion that simply repeats the introduction word for word is weak. A conclusion that synthesises what the body paragraphs together have shown is strong.

What should a finished essay plan look like?

A plan does not need to be neat. It is for you, not the marker. A plan might be:

A spider diagram with your thesis in the middle.

A numbered list with one bullet per point plus a quotation.

A simple table like the one above.

As long as it answers three questions — What is my argument? What are my three points? What evidence supports each? — it is a working plan.

Frequently asked questions

How long should an essay plan take to write?

For a KS3 in-class essay, aim for five minutes on your plan. For a homework essay, you might spend ten minutes planning and then revise the plan after a first read of the text. The plan should be brief — bullet points, not sentences.

Should I write the introduction before or after I have planned the whole essay?

Usually after. Many students write a vague introduction because they have not yet fully worked out their argument. Planning first means your introduction can state your thesis confidently, because you already know what the whole essay will argue.

What if I change my mind about a point halfway through the essay?

Glance back at your plan and decide: is the new idea better than what you planned, or is it a distraction? If it genuinely strengthens your argument, adapt the plan and continue. If it is tangential, note it in your head and return to the plan. Changing direction mid-essay without updating your plan usually leads to an unfocused ending.

Do I need a plan for a short-answer response?

For responses shorter than three paragraphs, a full plan is probably unnecessary — but spending thirty seconds identifying your key point and one piece of evidence is always worth doing. The habit of thinking before writing pays off at every length.

For Socratic English practice on essay planning and analytical writing, see aitutors.me.