The gap between a 5 and a 7 isn't knowledge — it's analysis depth. Here's how to break through.
How to Turn a 5 into a 7 in IB Essays
The gap between a 5 and a 7 isn't knowledge — it's analysis depth. Here's how to break through.
IB Strategy
The gap between a 5 and a 7 isn't knowledge — it's analysis depth. Here's how to break through.
The gap between a 5 and a 7 isn't knowledge — it's analysis depth. Here's how to break through.
Choose one focused bank, make an attempt, then return to the step that helped you move.
Point: Clear, arguable claim (not a topic sentence)
Evidence: Specific, precise (not generic)
Explanation: WHY it supports your claim, HOW it connects to the question
Link + Counter: Connect to question AND acknowledge counterarguments
| Level | Grade | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Description | 4-5 | "The government introduced a policy" |
| Explanation | 5-6 | "...because unemployment was rising" |
| Analysis | 6-7 | "...reflecting a Keynesian approach, limited by credit contraction" |
| Evaluation | 7 | "...illustrating limitations of demand-side interventions, supporting Friedman's critique" |
Start paragraphs with claims, not facts
Use analytical language ("This suggests...", "This challenges...")
Address the question wording in every paragraph
Quality over quantity: 3 deep paragraphs > 6 shallow ones
Name historians/theorists when possible
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There is no universal paragraph-level difference across all subjects. Grades are awarded for the complete subject after component marks are combined, while an individual essay may be judged with subject- and task-specific criteria or markbands. Compare the actual response with the current descriptors and teacher feedback.
No. PEEL can be a planning aid, but it is not a universal IB assessment requirement. Use a structure that answers the question and makes the required reasoning, evidence, interpretation and evaluation visible for the exact subject and component.
There is no universal number. The appropriate structure depends on the question, time, expected length, subject and assessment criteria. Plan enough distinct analytical moves to answer the task without dividing one idea into decorative paragraphs.
Not as a universal rule. Some questions and criteria reward evaluation, perspectives, alternatives or qualification, while others require a different intellectual task. Include a counterargument only when it helps satisfy the actual task rather than adding one mechanically.
Only when this is relevant to the subject, question and evidence. A name without accurate use does not create analysis. Prioritize traceable, well-understood evidence and explain how it supports, limits or changes the argument.
No tool can guarantee a grade, and submitting generated analysis or prose as the student's own can breach school and IB academic-integrity rules. Permitted feedback should identify issues for the student to understand and revise, with any required assistance disclosure or citation completed.
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