Name: _______________________________________________
Date: ________________________________________________
Period: _______________________________________________
#:_____
Section: WRITING
WHAT IS “ACED?”
Throughout your lifetime, you’ll be asked to respond in writing to a variety of assignments in school
and in your workplace. Once you learn an easy formula for answering questions in writing, you
will have “ACED” the answer!
ANSWER
 Your answer should be one sentence long.
► Begin by answering the question being asked of you by restating the question in the answer.
► If your question is about a story or passage you’ve read, make sure to include the title and author in
your answer!
CITE
 Your cite should be one sentence long.
►Begin with a transition word or phrase.
►Use a specific quote from the text you are using or an example to support your answer. If you are not
using a text, provide a real-life example that supports your opinion.
►For each sentence that cites, you must immediately follow it with two sentences that further EXPLAIN
or give EXAMPLES of what you have cited. (See below for the description of “Explain!”)
►If you use a quote, make sure you put it in quotations and state where the quote came from (for
example: the part in the story it was from, the character that said it, the author that wrote it, etc.)
EXPLAIN
 Your explain should be at least two sentences long.
► After the citation, you must explain how it (the citation you just gave) proves your answer.
► Your explanation must be a minimum of two sentences long (and they cannot be short and simple).
Take time to thoroughly tell how that citation supports your answer to the question.
DONE
 Your done should be one sentence long.
►Begin with a transition word!
► Add a concluding sentence to summarize your paragraph. Re-state your answer in a different way!
► Go back through your paragraph and make sure that you have used TRANSITIONS before each C and
the D.
► Go back and proofread you writing for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors!
► Now you are done! You have A*C*E*D your assignment.
REPEAT C AND E FOR EVERY EXAMPLE YOU ARE ASKED TO GIVE!
If you were asked to give two examples, your format would be: A C E C E D
If you were asked to give three examples, your format would be: A C E C E C E D
ACE EXAMPLE:
Question: Identify one trait that a student needs to be successful in school. Explain how this trait
will help him or her be successful. Use at least two examples to support your response.
Answers the question!
One trait that a student needs to be successful in
school is good organizational skills. This is an important trait
because without good organization a student will lose
Cites an example!
important papers. For example, if a student loses a study guide for
a test, he or she will not be able to study for the
Explains the example!
test. This example shows how a lack of organizational skills can
cause a student to do poorly on a test. If a student does
poorly on a test, his or her grade will lower. Also, it is
Cites an example!
important to have good organizational skills because
students need to keep their binders neatly organized. To
explain, a student whose binder is unorganized will have difficulty
keeping track of homework and other important
Explains the example!
papers. This example shows that poor organization
can negatively affect a student’s grade. If items are misplaced, the
student will have a difficult time being prepared for class and
completing work on time, which will cause his or her grade to drop.
Conclusion!
In conclusion, good organizational skills are an important trait that
help a student do well in school.
The A is normal.
Each C is bold.
Each E is normal.
The D (or conclusion) is normal.
Transition words are in italics. (so you notice them!)
Whenever you write an ACED paragraph,
you will be asked to make each C bold.
This is so Mrs. Pile can easily pick them
out!