Academic Vocabulary 1:
Writing Basics
Copy definitions onto your worksheet
along with personal ideas and/or
visuals
paragraph (n.) sentences grouped
together to support a single idea
(see text pgs. 997-1000)
topic sentence (n.) the main
idea of a paragraph
clincher (n.) a sentence that
emphasizes a paragraph’s main
idea by pulling together details to
signal the end of the paragraph
essay (n.) a multi-paragraph piece
centering on a central idea (thesis)
or argument; supported by specific
body paragraphs
thesis (n.) a sentence or two that
states the point you intend to prove
to readers in an essay; an essay’s
main idea
(see text pg. 272)