The conclusion of an Enem essay needs to propose a measure connected to the problem you analyzed, rather than merely repeat your thesis or call vaguely for change. To plan the intervention, answer: who will do what, how, to achieve which result, and with what concrete detail? These answers correspond to the agent, action, method or means, effect, and detail. The first four organize the solution; the detail adds precision. The proposal must also respect human rights.
What competency 5 assesses
Competency 5 concerns developing an intervention proposal for the problem addressed in the essay. In the official Enem 2026 guide, published by Inep on September 18, 2026, it is one of the essay's five competencies. Each competency can receive up to 200 points. The framework below is a teaching tool for planning, not a compulsory sentence or a guarantee of any score.
| Element | Writing question | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Action | What will be done? | An identifiable measure to address the cause or consequence discussed. |
| Agent | Who will carry out the measure? | An institution, group, or organization whose role is compatible with the task. |
| Method or means | How will the action take place? | The procedure, channel, resource, or instrument used to implement it. |
| Effect | What outcome is intended? | A purpose related to the problem, not a mere repetition of the action. |
| Detail | What aspect can be specified? | An explanation or example that develops one of the preceding elements. |
The five elements do not have to appear in a fixed order. What matters is that readers can identify them and that the intervention makes sense in light of the diagnosis defended in previous paragraphs. The means answer how; the effect answers what for; the detail makes part of the proposal more specific.
How to move from the body paragraphs to the conclusion
- Return to the main obstacle. If the body discussed lack of access, your proposal should address access rather than change the subject in the final paragraph.
- Choose a feasible action. Prefer a concrete verb, such as expand, offer, adapt, inspect, or guide, followed by the object of the measure.
- Identify a suitable agent. Consider who has the means to carry out the action: school leadership, a healthcare team, the management of a cultural venue, or a municipal service, depending on the topic.
- Describe the means and effect. Show which instrument will be used and what specific change the action seeks to produce.
- Add a relevant detail. Define the audience, location, frequency, content, partnership, or responsibility. Reread to confirm the link to the thesis and respect for human rights.
One possible sequence is to revisit the problem, present the agent and action, explain the means, specify one aspect, and indicate the intended effect. Use this sequence to plan and adapt the syntax to your essay instead of memorizing a formula that would fit any subject indiscriminately.
Four annotated intervention examples
The topics and paragraphs below are original practice examples, not official prompts or excerpts from Inep essays. In each case, assume the body paragraphs have already supported the problem described.
1. Limited access to reading at school
Problem developed: students have few opportunities for guided contact with books during everyday school life.
Intervention: Therefore, school administrators should expand guided reading activities through weekly library sessions that include book loans and teacher-led discussion, prioritizing classes with less access to the collection, in order to increase reading frequency and students' familiarity with different text genres.
Commentary: agent: school administrators; action: expand reading activities; means: library sessions with loans and guidance; detail: weekly frequency and priority audience; effect: increase reading practice and range. The proposal tackles precisely the obstacle identified.
2. Improper waste disposal in a neighborhood
Problem developed: residents lack clear guidance on separating recyclables and locating drop-off points.
Intervention: Thus, the municipal urban cleaning service should publish disposal guidance and improve signs identifying drop-off points through notices in public facilities and materials distributed in neighborhoods, specifying accepted waste types and receiving hours, to make proper separation easier and reduce disposal in inappropriate places.
Commentary: agent: municipal cleaning service; action: provide guidance and identify drop-off points; means: local notices and materials; detail: waste types and hours; effect: facilitate sorting and reduce improper disposal. Both measures address the same diagnosis without introducing a new topic.
3. Barriers to accessing cultural activities
Problem developed: a lack of accessibility resources makes it harder for people with disabilities to participate in cultural activities.
Intervention: Accordingly, cultural center managers should improve the accessibility of their programs by planning resources such as Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) interpretation and audio description in advance, according to each activity's characteristics, and publicizing available resources beforehand, so that more people with disabilities can take part in events on equal terms.
Commentary: agent: cultural center managers; action: improve accessibility; means: planning and providing suitable resources; detail: advance publicity; effect: support participation on equal terms. Resources should fit the activity and the audience's needs, rather than assuming one solution works for everyone.
4. Sharing unverified health information
Problem developed: health messages are shared without consulting trustworthy guidance.
Intervention: Consequently, primary healthcare teams should provide guidance on verifying health information through discussion circles at healthcare facilities and materials pointing to official information channels, including examples of how to recognize messages without an identifiable source, to encourage checking before sharing and reduce the spread of misleading content.
Commentary: agent: primary healthcare teams; action: teach verification; means: meetings and materials; detail: examples of messages without sources; effect: encourage checking and curb the circulation of misleading content. This is an educational practice and does not promise to eliminate all misinformation.
Checklist before writing the final version
| Criterion | Review question | If the answer is no |
|---|---|---|
| Connection to the essay | Does the measure address the problem actually discussed? | Return to the diagnosis in the body paragraphs. |
| Agent | Is it clear who is responsible for acting? | Name a suitable responsible party. |
| Action | Is there a measure rather than just a wish for improvement? | Replace vague intentions with a concrete verb and object. |
| Method or means | Can the reader tell how the measure will be implemented? | Include a channel, procedure, or instrument. |
| Effect | Is the intended outcome relevant and distinct from the action? | Explain the change the proposal seeks to bring about. |
| Detail | Does an element receive a useful specification? | Add a relevant operational detail without inventing statistics. |
| Human rights and clarity | Does the proposal uphold rights and avoid ambiguity? | Rewrite discriminatory, coercive, or confusing measures. |
Common mistakes and how to correct them
- Ending with a hopeful statement: “society needs to raise awareness” does not specify a measure, an agent, or implementation. Say who will provide guidance, by which means, and for what purpose.
- Assigning an unsuitable agent: not every body can carry out every task. Match responsibility to the proposed measure.
- Confusing means with effect: “through campaigns” names an instrument; “to increase access to information” names an outcome.
- Using decorative details: adjectives such as “effective” do not replace a specification of audience, content, routine, or procedure.
- Introducing an unrelated solution: the conclusion should respond to the essay's arguments rather than open up another problem.
- Ignoring human rights: do not propose exclusion, violence, or removal of rights as a response to a social problem.
Final review using the official reference
After writing the conclusion, mark the five elements in your draft and check how each connects to the body paragraphs. If an item can only be identified by guessing, rewrite it more clearly. Also review grammar, punctuation, cohesion, and space within the 30-line limit for the complete essay.
To check the current version and the criteria in context, consult the Enem 2026 Participant Guide, published by Inep on September 18, 2026, and the page of official Enem documents, which includes the reference matrix and scoring manuals. This article's framework and examples are for practice and human review; they do not replace the official documents.
