| Open with a sentence that restates the question. Feel free to use the language of the question in your opening or topic sentence – this is where you tell us what the essay will be about. Basically, you’re rephrasing the question or assignment as a statement, indicating how you are likely to answer it as you do so.
Follow with your abridged answer – the bare bones of what you are going to discuss in the rest of the essay. (Do NOT say, “This essay will be about,” or, “I am going to explain,” or anything like that.) Just tell your reader the answer to the question you just rephrased, offering three examples or supports or ways in which you are going to prove what you’ve just said (one for each body paragraph). |
| FIRST PARAGRAPH (INTRODUCTION) |
| Pre-Writing Worksheet for Creating a Successful Essay |
| Transition1 |
| This is the first line of the second paragraph. |
| SECOND PARAGRAPH (BODY) |
| Re-state the first of your examples or proofs in greater detail. This is your topic sentence.
Use a quote from the text to prove what you’ve just said.2 Explain why you chose that quote. Explain how that quote proves whatever you said in your topic sentence. |
| This is the first line of the third paragraph. |
| Transition1 |
| Repeat everything you did in your first body paragraph (paragraph #2). This time use your second point or example from your introduction. Repeat this as many times as necessary to complete the body of your essay. Always include a transitional sentence at the beginning of each paragraph. |
| THIRD PARAGRAPH (BODY) ETC. |
| This is the first line of the concluding paragraph. (It is NEVER “In conclusion…”). |
| Transition1 |
| LAST PARAGRAPH (CONCLUSION) |
| This is where you remind your reader how well you’ve proved what you said you were going to prove. Do not just repeat your topic sentence. Use new language to say something similar, but more forceful.
Wrap it up and get out. Never introduce anything new in your conclusion. |
| General information:
• A paragraph generally has at least four or five sentences in it. This can be extended of course, especially when including a quote. • Include the whole quote; do not use ellipsis (…). • Proof your essay for spelling, grammar, and just making sense, before you hand it in. • Type your essay, double spaced, including your full name, the date, and the period during which you have English. |
| 1 Between each paragraph, TRANSITION!
Transitions let the reader know that you have finished making one point and are moving on to explaining your next point. They form a smooth bridge (or transition) between one idea and the next. As each paragraph should have only ONE main idea (plus the support for that idea) transitions are necessary so that your writing doesn’t jump around from place to place and make the reader confused (or nauseated). Usually transitions are the first sentence in a body paragraph. Some possible transitional phrases are: • For example • On the other hand • In addition • The first (or whatever number you’re up to) • In the case of • Meanwhile, back at the ranch… |
| 2 A quote is anything you copy from the text. It is not just something in quotation marks in the book. It is not just something someone said. Any words you take from the book can be used to prove your point. All material taken from another person’s writing (or speaking) must be placed in quotation marks and you must say where you got it. |
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