Writing: writing for impact: selecting, organising and emphasising facts, ideas and key points; citing evidence and quotation effectively and pertinently to support views; creating emotional impact; using language creatively, imaginatively and persuasively, including rhetorical devices (such as rhetorical questions, antithesis, parenthesis).

The idea

Writing for impact means choosing what matters and making it land. Select the strongest facts and ideas for your purpose, then organise them to build a convincing argument, perhaps placing your most powerful point last for emphasis. Cite brief, pertinent quotations to support your views, introducing them and explaining their effect. Create emotional impact through concrete detail and appeals to shared experience. Use language creatively and persuasively. Deploy rhetorical devices purposefully: a rhetorical question to guide thought, antithesis to create a sharp contrast (e.g., 'One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind'), or parenthesis – using brackets, dashes or commas – to add a thoughtful aside or extra detail.

What earns the marks

• Selects relevant facts and ideas, discarding weaker material to strengthen the overall argument.
• Organises material logically to build a persuasive case, for example by placing the strongest point at the end for emphasis.
• Cites brief, pertinent evidence or quotation, integrating it smoothly and commenting on its effect to support a view.
• Creates a specific emotional impact on the reader through carefully chosen vocabulary and concrete detail.
• Uses a range of rhetorical devices accurately and purposefully, such as antithesis for contrast or parenthesis for an aside, to reinforce meaning.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Listing every fact or point instead of selecting the strongest.

  Put it right: Rank your ideas and cut any that do not directly advance your main argument or serve your purpose.

• Dropping in a quotation without introducing or explaining it.

  Put it right: Frame the quotation with your own words and follow it with a sentence explaining how it supports your view.

• Using rhetorical devices for decoration, not effect, such as a clumsy antithesis ('The day was hot, the night was cold') that states the obvious.

  Put it right: Ensure each device has a purpose. Use antithesis for a powerful, memorable contrast ('To err is human; to forgive, divine') and parenthesis to add a specific, useful detail or aside.

Exam tips

• Before writing, plan for two or three minutes: decide your viewpoint, select three or four key points and choose where the strongest will sit for maximum impact.
• When you quote, keep it short and exact, then add one sentence explaining its effect on the reader or how it proves your point.
• Vary your sentence structures. Use a short, simple sentence after a long, complex one to make a key point stand out dramatically.