ACT Persuasive Essay Pre-Writing Information and
Activity
Introduction Paragraph ACRONYM = A.N.T.
A= Attention Grabber (Strong statement, short anecdote to illustrate point, series of
fragments, dialogue)
N = Necessary Information (Explain the context of the issue in the prompt. Rephrase the
prompt, but do not copy it word for word.)
T= Thesis (State the position you will argue in your essay WITHOUT using personal
statements like “I believe”; “I feel”; “In my opinion”!)
Body Paragraphs #1, #2, #3, ACONYM = T.C.A.S.
T = Transition (Use sophisticated phrases to move the reader into your paragraph. This
should be tied into the Counter Argument statement you make.)
It is often said that...
It is undeniable that...
It is a well-known fact that...
For the great majority of people...
We live in a world in which...
A number of key issues arise from the statement _______. For one...
One of the most striking features of this problem is...
First of all, in order to understand...
The public in general tend to believe that...
Experts...
... believe that
... say that
... suggest that
... are convinced that
... point out that
... emphasise that
According to some experts….
C = Counter Argument (Pretend as though you are arguing with a friend – acknowledge
his/her position. Finish the transition phrase. Example: “The public in general believe that
teenagers have too much time on their hands and could benefit from year round
school…”
A = Argument (Immediately after the counter argument has been stated, REFUTE it as
though you would if you were trying to convince that same friend that YOU are correct.
Example: “The public in general believe that teenagers have too much time on their
hands and could benefit from year round school, but the truth is today’s students have
more homework, more after school activities, and more community obligations than
ever before. This is why students need a summer break and why year-round
schooling is not a viable choice for today’s students.”
Examples of phrases to state your argument:
The first aspect to point out is that...
Considering the facts...
It would also be interesting to see...
One should, nevertheless, consider the problem from another angle…
Equally relevant to the issue are the questions of...
One should always remember that...
One should, however, not forget that...
We could perhaps go further and ask ourselves whether...
S = Support (Provide examples, whether personal or general to support your claim.
Example: A typical teenager does not leave school at 3:00 then proceed to sit in front
of a television until 10:00. Most teenagers are involved in an after school sport, an
academic club, or an after school job. When they do arrive home, they have hours of
homework. Personally, I play three sports in three seasons, volunteer at the
Woman’s Shelter five hours a week, and have an average of three hours of
homework each night. I am a “normal” teenager who works hard during the school
year and who looks forward to a long summer break to relax and gear up for the
next school year. Year round school would eliminate necessary “down time” and
could contribute to student burn-out. )
Your Body Paragraph Might Look Like This:
“The public in general believe that teenagers have too much time on their hands and
could benefit from year round school, but the truth is today’s students have more
homework, more after school activities, and more community obligations than ever
before. This is why students need a summer break and why year-round schooling is not a
viable choice for today’s students. A typical teenager does not leave school at 3:00 then
proceed to sit in front of a television until 10:00. Most teenagers are involved in an after
school sport, an academic club, or an after school job. When they do arrive home, they
have hours of homework. Personally, I play three sports in three seasons, volunteer at the
Woman’s Shelter five hours a week, and have an average of three hours of homework
each night. I am a “normal” teenager who works hard during the school year and who
looks forward to a long summer break to relax and gear up for the next school year. Year
round school would eliminate necessary “down time” and would result in student burnout.”
Conclusion Paragraph Acronym T.S.R.C.
T = Transition (Signal that you intend to wrap up your argument. This is only a phrase
and should be tied into the summary of the points you made in your body paragraphs.)
as can be seen
generally speaking
in the final analysis
all things considered
as shown above
in the long run
given these points
as has been noted
in a word
for the most part
after all
in fact
in short
in brief
in essence
on balance
altogether
ordinarily
usually
by and large
on the whole
in any event
in either case
S= Summarize (Paraphrase the prompt and the points you made to support your thesis.)
R= Restate Your Thesis (Leave absolutely no room for doubt in the readers’ minds
exactly which side of the issue you support. Now is the time to be blunt.)
C = Clincher (Leave your reader with a thought provoking question or startling
statement. Seal the deal.)
ACT Pre-Writing Activity
Prompt
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Introduction
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Body Paragraph #1
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Body Paragraph #2
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Body Paragraph #3
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Conclusion Paragraph
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