IELTS Body Paragraph Structure: The PEEL Method Explained

Reading time: 12 minutes

Your body paragraphs are where you win or lose your IELTS Writing score. They make up roughly 70% of your essay and contain the developed ideas, examples, and evidence that examiners use to assess your Task Response and Coherence.

Yet many students write body paragraphs that are too short, too vague, or simply a list of points with no real development. The result? They get stuck at Band 5-6, wondering what went wrong.

The PEEL method solves this problem. It's a simple framework that ensures every body paragraph is fully developed, logically structured, and examiner-friendly.

What is PEEL?

PEEL is an acronym that stands for:

• Point - Your main idea for this paragraph
• Evidence - Support for your point (example, fact, or detail)
• Explanation - Why your evidence matters and how it supports your point
• Link - Connection back to the essay question or transition to the next paragraph

When you follow this structure, you naturally create paragraphs that meet the Band 7+ criteria for Task Response and Coherence.

Why PEEL Works for IELTS

Look at what the Band 7 descriptors say:

Task Response: "Presents, extends and supports main ideas"
Coherence and Cohesion: "Logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout"

PEEL directly addresses both criteria:

• Point = presents main ideas
• Evidence + Explanation = extends and supports ideas
• Link = creates logical progression

Without a framework like PEEL, students often present ideas without extending them, or list multiple points without supporting any of them properly.

PEEL in Action: Step-by-Step

Let's build a body paragraph together using this question:

Question: "Some people believe that unpaid community service should be compulsory in high school. To what extent do you agree or disagree?"

Step 1: Point (1 sentence)

Your topic sentence states the main idea of this paragraph. It should be clear and directly relevant to the essay question.

Point: "Mandatory community service helps students develop essential life skills that cannot be learned in traditional classroom settings."

This sentence tells the reader exactly what the paragraph will argue. No ambiguity.

Step 2: Evidence (1-2 sentences)

Now support your point with specific evidence. This could be:

• A real-world example
• A logical illustration
• A hypothetical but realistic scenario
• A specific detail that makes your point concrete

Evidence: "When students volunteer at local charities or community organisations, they gain practical experience in teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. For instance, a student helping at a food bank must coordinate with other volunteers, interact with diverse community members, and adapt to unexpected situations."

Notice how this evidence is specific. It names a real activity (food bank), identifies specific skills (teamwork, communication, problem-solving), and paints a picture the reader can visualise.

Step 3: Explanation (1-2 sentences)

This is where many students fail. They provide evidence but don't explain WHY it matters or HOW it supports their point.

Explanation: "These are precisely the skills that employers value and that traditional academic subjects rarely develop. By making community service compulsory, schools ensure all students gain this practical experience, regardless of whether they would have sought it independently."

The explanation connects the evidence back to the broader argument and shows WHY this matters.

Step 4: Link (1 sentence)

Your link either:

• Connects back to the essay question, OR
• Transitions smoothly to the next paragraph

Link: "Therefore, mandatory community service serves an educational purpose beyond charity itself."

The Complete PEEL Paragraph

"Mandatory community service helps students develop essential life skills that cannot be learned in traditional classroom settings. When students volunteer at local charities or community organisations, they gain practical experience in teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. For instance, a student helping at a food bank must coordinate with other volunteers, interact with diverse community members, and adapt to unexpected situations. These are precisely the skills that employers value and that traditional academic subjects rarely develop. By making community service compulsory, schools ensure all students gain this practical experience, regardless of whether they would have sought it independently. Therefore, mandatory community service serves an educational purpose beyond charity itself."

Word count: 99 words

This is a fully developed paragraph that would satisfy Band 7 criteria for both Task Response and Coherence.

PEEL Examples for Different Essay Types

Opinion Essay PEEL

Question: "Social media has a negative impact on young people. To what extent do you agree?"

Point: One significant concern is that social media promotes unrealistic standards of appearance and lifestyle, damaging young people's self-esteem.

Evidence: Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are dominated by carefully curated images showing idealised bodies, luxury experiences, and seemingly perfect lives. Research indicates that teenagers who spend more time on these platforms report higher rates of body dissatisfaction and anxiety.

Explanation: Young people, still developing their sense of identity, are particularly vulnerable to these comparisons. They may not recognise that the images they see are filtered, edited, and selectively chosen to present only positive moments.

Link: This psychological impact demonstrates how social media can harm young users even when the content itself appears harmless.

Advantages/Disadvantages PEEL

Question: "Many people now work from home. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?"

Point: A primary advantage of remote work is the significant time saved by eliminating daily commuting.

Evidence: The average urban worker spends between one and two hours each day travelling to and from their workplace. For a full-time employee, this amounts to roughly 250-500 hours annually—equivalent to several weeks of working time.

Explanation: When this time is reclaimed, workers can invest it in family activities, exercise, personal development, or additional rest. The result is reduced stress and improved work-life balance, which often translates to higher job satisfaction and productivity.

Link: This time efficiency represents a substantial quality-of-life improvement that traditional office arrangements cannot match.

Problem-Solution PEEL

Question: "Traffic congestion is increasing in many cities. What are the causes and what solutions can governments implement?"

Point: Governments can significantly reduce urban traffic by investing in efficient, affordable public transportation systems.

Evidence: Cities like Singapore and Seoul have developed extensive metro and bus networks that offer frequent, reliable service at subsidised prices. In Singapore, over 60% of residents use public transport for their daily commute.

Explanation: When public transport is convenient and cost-effective, it becomes a genuine alternative to driving. People choose the option that saves them time and money, so making public transport competitive with private vehicles naturally shifts commuter behaviour.

Link: Such infrastructure investment addresses the root cause of congestion rather than simply managing its symptoms.

Common PEEL Mistakes

Mistake 1: Point Without Development

Weak: "Community service teaches valuable skills. Another benefit is that it helps the community. It also looks good on university applications."

This presents three points but develops none of them. It would score Band 5-6 at best.

Fix: Choose ONE point and develop it fully using Evidence, Explanation, and Link.

Mistake 2: Evidence That Doesn't Support the Point

Point: "Social media harms children's development."
Evidence: "Many parents use social media to share photos of their children."

The evidence is about parents, but the point is about harm to children. These don't connect logically.

Fix: Ensure your evidence directly supports your specific point.

Mistake 3: Missing Explanation

Point: Social media promotes unrealistic beauty standards.
Evidence: Instagram influencers post filtered photos that don't reflect reality.
[No explanation]
Link: Therefore, social media is harmful.

The reader is left asking "So what? Why does this matter?" Without explanation, the argument feels incomplete.

Fix: Always explain HOW your evidence supports your point and WHY it matters.

Mistake 4: Generic or Vague Evidence

Weak evidence: "Studies show that this is a problem."
Weak evidence: "Many experts agree that this is true."
Weak evidence: "This happens in many countries."

These statements could apply to almost anything. They don't make your argument concrete or convincing.

Strong evidence: "In the UK, over 40% of young people report feeling anxious after using social media, according to a 2023 mental health survey."

Even if you don't have exact statistics, be specific about WHO, WHAT, WHERE, or HOW.

Mistake 5: Link That Introduces New Ideas

Your link should close the paragraph, not open a new topic.

Wrong: "Therefore, social media is harmful, and additionally, screen time affects sleep quality."

The sleep quality point is a new idea that should start its own paragraph.

Fix: Your link should summarise or reinforce—never introduce.

How Long Should PEEL Paragraphs Be?

Aim for 80-120 words per body paragraph.

• Shorter than 80 words: Probably underdeveloped
• Longer than 120 words: Consider splitting into two paragraphs

With two body paragraphs of 80-120 words each, plus a 40-50 word introduction and 30-40 word conclusion, you'll hit 270-300 words—the ideal range for IELTS Task 2.

Flexible PEEL: Adapting the Framework

PEEL isn't rigid. Think of it as PEEL or PEEEL or even PEL, depending on your paragraph needs.

Short version (PEL):
Point -> Evidence with embedded explanation -> Link

Extended version (PEEEL):
Point -> Evidence 1 -> Explanation -> Evidence 2 -> Explanation -> Link

The key principle remains: every point needs support and explanation. How much depends on the complexity of your argument and your word count needs.

Practice Template

Use this template to practice writing PEEL paragraphs:

Topic: [Your essay question]

Point: [One clear sentence stating your main idea for this paragraph]

Evidence: [1-2 sentences with a specific example, fact, or illustration]

Explanation: [1-2 sentences explaining WHY this evidence matters and HOW it supports your point]

Link: [1 sentence connecting back to the question or transitioning to next paragraph]

Word count: _ (aim for 80-120)

From Structure to Substance

Understanding PEEL is the first step. The next challenge is generating strong points and evidence for any topic you encounter.

Key Takeaways:

1. PEEL stands for Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link
2. Every body paragraph needs all four elements for full development
3. Evidence without explanation leaves your argument incomplete
4. Aim for 80-120 words per body paragraph
5. One well-developed point beats three underdeveloped points
6. Your link should close the paragraph, not introduce new ideas

Master PEEL, and you've mastered the heart of IELTS essay writing.

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