diff --git a/episodes/03-types-conversion.md b/episodes/03-types-conversion.md
index f20125577..c6b1a7175 100644
--- a/episodes/03-types-conversion.md
+++ b/episodes/03-types-conversion.md
@@ -173,29 +173,49 @@ half is 0.5
 three squared is 9.0
 ```
 
-## Variables only change value when something is assigned to them.
+## Assignment changes the value of a variable, it does not create links between variables.
 
-- If we make one cell in a spreadsheet depend on another,
-  and update the latter,
-  the former updates automatically.
-- This does **not** happen in programming languages.
+When there is a variable on the right side of `=`,
+it uses the current value of that variable
+to set the value of the variable on the left side.
+After that value is set, adjusting one variable
+doesn't impact the other.
+
+To demonstrate this:
+
+```python
+a = 1
+b = a
+a = 2
+print('a is', a, 'and b is', b)
+```
+
+```output
+a is 2 and b is 1
+```
+
+When `b = a` is run, `a`'s value (`1`) is "assigned" to `b`, but no ongoing link is created between `a` and `b`.
+
+Here is a slightly more complicated example involving computation on the second value:
 
 ```python
 variable_one = 1
 variable_two = 5 * variable_one
 variable_one = 2
-print('first is', variable_one, 'and second is', variable_two)
+print('variable_one is', variable_one, 'and variable_two is', variable_two)
 ```
 
 ```output
-first is 2 and second is 5
+variable_one is 2 and variable_two is 5
 ```
 
-- The computer reads the value of `variable_one` when doing the multiplication,
+- Python reads the value of `variable_one` when doing the multiplication,
   creates a new value, and assigns it to `variable_two`.
-- Afterwards, the value of `variable_two` is set to the new value and *not dependent on `variable_one`* so its value
+- Afterwards, `variable_two` is set to this new value and *is not dependent on `variable_one`* so its value
   does not automatically change when `variable_one` changes.
 
+Some data types that we haven't encountered yet (e.g. _lists_ and _dictionaries_) have "links" inside them so they behave somewhat differently when you assign values to their *contents*. An example of this is shown in [Episode 12: Lists](../11-lists.md#copying-or-not).
+
 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::  challenge
 
 ## Fractions