You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
Reading and analysing strong essays is one of the most effective — and most underused — preparation strategies for Section B. It is the writing equivalent of studying game tape in sport: you observe how excellent performance looks in practice, identify the specific techniques that make it work, and then incorporate those techniques into your own repertoire.
This lesson teaches you how to read model essays analytically, what to look for, and how to translate your observations into improvements in your own writing.
A model essay is a well-written essay response to a Section B-style question that demonstrates the qualities admissions tutors are looking for. It is not necessarily a "perfect" essay — perfection in 40 minutes is unrealistic — but it is an essay that would be considered strong by an experienced reader.
| Source | Notes |
|---|---|
| LNAT preparation books | Many include sample essays with commentary. Look for books published by established educational publishers. |
| LNAT preparation websites | Some provide free sample essays. Evaluate quality carefully — not all online content is reliable. |
| Your own best work | After several weeks of practice, your best untimed essays may serve as models. |
| Teacher or tutor-provided examples | If you are working with a teacher or tutor, ask them to provide or recommend model essays. |
| Quality opinion journalism | Well-written op-ed pieces from publications like The Guardian, The Times, or The Economist share many qualities with strong Section B essays — clear thesis, structured argument, evidence, engagement with counterarguments. |
Caution: Be selective about online resources. An essay labelled "model" or "top-scoring" on a website is only useful if it genuinely demonstrates the qualities described in this course. Evaluate it critically before treating it as a model.
Reading a model essay passively — simply reading it from start to finish — provides minimal benefit. To learn from it, you need to read analytically, deliberately examining how the essay achieves its effects.
Read the model essay three times, each time focusing on a different aspect:
On your first reading, focus on the architecture of the essay:
| Question | What to Note |
|---|---|
| What is the thesis? | Identify the exact sentence. Where does it appear? How specific is it? |
| How many arguments are presented? | Count the distinct supporting points |
| What is the counterargument? | Is it steel-manned? How is it rebutted? |
| What is the structure? | Map the essay's structure paragraph by paragraph |
| How does the conclusion work? | Does it synthesise, reframe, or elevate? |
Write a paragraph map — a one-sentence summary of what each paragraph does:
| Para | Function |
|---|---|
| 1 | States thesis: [what?] |
| 2 | Argument 1: [what?] with evidence from [where?] |
| 3 | Argument 2: [what?] with evidence from [where?] |
| 4 | Counterargument: [what?] Concession: [what?] Rebuttal: [what?] |
| 5 | Conclusion: [technique used?] |
On your second reading, focus on how evidence is used:
| Question | What to Note |
|---|---|
| What types of evidence are used? | Historical? Contemporary? Statistical? Philosophical? |
| How is evidence integrated? | Dropped in as a fact, or analysed and connected to the argument? |
| How specific are the examples? | Names, dates, places — or vague generalities? |
| Is hedging language used? | "Studies suggest", "approximately", "in many cases" — or absolute claims? |
On your third reading, focus on the writing itself:
| Question | What to Note |
|---|---|
| How does the essay open? | Direct thesis? Contextual introduction? A provocative statement? |
| What transition language is used? | List the specific transition phrases between paragraphs |
| How long are the sentences? | Is there variety in sentence length? How do short sentences create impact? |
| What is the tone? | Academic but accessible? Formal? Conversational? |
| Are there any memorable phrases? | Lines that are particularly well-crafted or persuasive |
Observe how the essay is organised and adopt similar structures in your own writing:
Note the exact phrases used to guide the reader:
Build a personal collection of effective transition phrases drawn from model essays.
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 10 lessons in this course.