Constructing the Five Paragraph Essay Five Paragraph Essay • Basic Parts – Introductory Paragraph and Thesis Statement – Supporting Paragraphs (three) – Concluding Paragraph Introduction • Attention Grabber – It must get the audience’s attention but also introduce the general subject of the essay. • Thesis Statement – Write this as one sentence. – Three points you are making to prove your position. – This is your last sentence of the introductory paragraph. Supporting Paragraphs • Topic Sentence (point) • Specific Details (prove your point) – Give three examples/details that prove your point. – Clearly explain each detail! This may involve more than one sentence. • Concluding Sentence (summarize/restate) – Close the paragraph to with reference to the topic of the paragraph and the subject of the essay. – Never, ever write “For this reason . . .,” “That’s why…,” etc. Concluding Paragraph • The order of the concluding paragraph can vary, but you always need to do the following: – Restate the thesis from your introduction; or – Summarize your major points from your body paragraphs. – Bring the paper to closure by… • Raising a question related to the subject • Challenge the reader to think or to do something • Connect the overall issue to a famous quote or idea Quick Check! Check One • What is wrong with this thesis statement? • Pizza is great because it is delicious, yummy, and tastes good! • It is all saying the same thing. There are not three separate reasons. Check Two • What’s wrong with this sentence? Pizza is great because it is delicious, nutritious, and it doesn’t cost much. • PARALLEL STRUCTURE! – Pizza is great because it is delicious, nutritious, and inexpensive. Check Three • What is wrong with this paragraph? Pizza is inexpensive. It doesn’t cost a lot. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. It is cheap. It is quite affordable. Time to Write One This will be on the website. You can print a copy at home! Sample Writing Prompt We all eat to stay alive, but most people have a favorite food. In a five paragraph essay, tell what your favorite food is. Be sure to support it with three reasons why you like it. First Things First • Start with your thesis statement—your point. • State the topic, your opinion about that topic, and three reasons to support your opinion. • Example: What is your favorite food? • Pizza is the best food on earth because it is delicious, nutritious, and inexpensive. Introductory Paragraph There are many foods available for people to eat. For breakfast, choices go, from cereal to scrambled eggs and bacon to pancakes. For lunch, there are sandwiches, subs, and salads. And for dinner, choices range from salads to steaks to pasta. But of all these choices, my favorite is pizza. Pizza is the best food on Earth because it is delicious, nutritious, and inexpensive. Supporting Paragraph One First of all, pizza is delicious. Picture the white, stretchy, stringy mozzarella cheese melted over the top. Then there is the zesty tomato sauce under it, bursting with spicy flavor. And under that is a layer of bread-like crust—thick or thin, chewy or crispy, depending on how you like it. The smell alone is enough to make one think of Heaven. Supporting Paragraph Two Secondly, pizza is nutritious. There are no empty calories in this food. For instance, the crust is a healthy serving of carbohydrates, and the tomato sauce provides valuable vitamins. In addition, if you have green peppers, mushrooms, or olives on top, you have practically a full day’s supply of vegetables! The mozzarella cheese is a good helping of dairy products, and if you put pepperoni, bacon, or sausage on your pizza, you are getting protein as well. Far from being “junk food,” pizza is a healthy meal. Supporting Paragraph Three Most importantly, pizza is inexpensive. Who needs to go to a fancy French restaurant when pizza is available? It is much cheaper than steak, and just as satisfying. Often, there are coupons which make pizza even less expensive. A family of four can share a pizza, loaded with great ingredients, for less than $10. The richest person on Earth couldn’t buy a better meal, not for a million dollars! Concluding Paragraph Whether it’s thin, thick, or stuffed crust, whether it’s loaded with toppings or left plain with tomato sauce and cheese, pizza is clearly the greatest food on Earth. Every bite is bursting with delicious flavor. Vitamins, protein and energy come with every slice, and pizza won’t take a big bite out of your budget. It is an affordable meal, fit for a king. So, next time you’re undecided about what to eat, treat yourself to pizza. You’ll be glad you did. Don’t Forget the Title! • The title is important. • It is not the topic sentence • The title should be short and give the reader some idea about the content of the essay. • For this essay, we could try: – The Perfect Food – Pizza for Me Congratulations! You’re on your way to becoming an expert on writing an essay!
