Writing a paragraph
Paragraph format
•
•
•
•
P–
E–
E–
R–
•
•
•
•
P – Point
E – Evidence
E – Explain
R – Response (+ link back to the question)
• Point = topic sentence and comment
Topic sentences
• Topic sentences say what topic you are
going to discuss in the paragraph.
• They come at the start of the paragraph.
• Every paragraph in the essay relates to
the essay title.
• Topic sentences therefore contain two bits
of information:
– The task (essay title)
– The topic that that paragraph will look at
Examples of topic sentences
• Another way that the idea of growing up is
revealed in the poem is through the use of
word choice.
• One way the aspect of life of growing up is
revealed is through the poet’s use of
different imagery.
• Another way that the idea of growing up is
revealed in the poem is through the use of
word choice.
• One way the aspect of life of growing up is
revealed is through the poet’s use of
different imagery.
– The task (essay title)
– The topic that that paragraph will look at
Possible essay questions
• An important experience from the past
• A poem in which an aspect of life has
been revealed
• A poem which is thought provoking
• A poem which is relevant to young people
• A poem which deals with an emotion such
as happiness, sadness, joy, nostalgia…
• A poem which deals with an unpleasant
event
We are going to look at:
• A poem in which an aspect of life has
been revealed (growing up)
Analysis techniques
•
•
•
•
Imagery
Word choice
Structure
Tone
Additional ways of analysing poems:
• Senses
• Sound techniques
Paragraph 1
Example
A poem in which an aspect of life
has been revealed / imagery
Point:
• Growing up is an aspect of life that is
revealed in ‘In Mrs Tilshcher’s Class’. One
way this is revealed is through the poet’s
use of different imagery at the beginning
and at the end of the poem.
Evidence
• “a skittle of milk”
• “The laugh of a bell swung by a running
child”
• “The air tasted of electricity”
• “As the sky split open into a thunderstorm”
Quote
•
•
•
•
•
•
For example, ...
For instance, ...
...as demonstrated by this quotation:
...as this example suggests:
...as this quotations proves:
This idea is developed in the following
quotation:
Explain
• In the second stanza the sound of the bell
is compared to laughter in this metaphor:
“The laugh of a bell”. Here, the sound the
bell makes is being compared to the
sound made by a laughing child. Laughter
is associated with having fun and people
enjoying themselves. This example of
imagery, therefore, helps to creates a
happy, carefree atmosphere.
PEE chains (quote 2)
• This contrasts with the imagery used at the end,
for example:
• “As the sky split open into a thunderstorm”
• Duffy uses this metaphor to describe the way
lightening looks – as if the sky is breaking open.
The word ‘split’ suggests something breaking
which cannot be fixed; this could perhaps
respect the speaker’s lost innocence. This
reflects the speaker’s feelings about growing
up.
Response (+ link to qu)
• The imagery at the start suggests a happy,
carefree atmosphere as the pupil clearly
enjoyed being in Mrs Tilscher’s class.
However, this contrasts with the imagery at
the end, which is darker and suggests the
awkwardness and confusion of growing up.
By documenting this period in the main
character’s life, Duffy is telling us that
growing up can be uncomfortable but also
exciting. She conveys the fear and
excitement about growing up and suggests
how dramatic this is on a personal level – it is
metaphorically like the sky splitting open.
• On the page, this will look like this:
• PEE-R
• Or
• PEE-PEE-R
Growing up is an aspect of life that is revealed in ‘In Mrs Tilshcher’s Class’. One way this is
revealed is through the poet’s use of different imagery at the beginning and at the end of the
poem, as demonstrated by this quotation:
“The laugh of a bell swung by a running child”
In the second stanza the sound of the bell is compared to laughter in this metaphor: “The
laugh of a bell”. Here, the sound the bell makes is being compared to the sound made by a
laughing child. Laughter is associated with having fun and people enjoying themselves. This
example of imagery, therefore, helps to creates a happy, carefree atmosphere. This contrasts
with the imagery used at the end, for example:
“As the sky split open into a thunderstorm”
Duffy uses this metaphor to describe the way lightening looks – as if the sky is breaking
open. The word ‘split’ suggests something breaking which cannot be fixed; this could perhaps
respect the speaker’s lost innocence. This reflects the speaker’s feelings about growing up.
The imagery at the start suggests a happy, carefree atmosphere as the pupil clearly enjoyed
being in Mrs Tilscher’s class. However, this contrasts with the imagery at the end, which is
darker and suggests the awkwardness and confusion of growing up. By documenting this
period in the main character’s life, Duffy is telling us that growing up can be uncomfortable
but also exciting. She conveys the fear and excitement about growing up and suggests how
dramatic this is on a personal level – it is metaphorically like the sky splitting open.
P
Growing up is an aspect of life that is revealed in ‘In Mrs Tilshcher’s Class’. One way this is
revealed is through the poet’s use of different imagery at the beginning and at the end of the
poem, as demonstrated by this quotation:
E “The laugh of a bell swung by a running child”
E
In the second stanza the sound of the bell is compared to laughter in this metaphor: “The
laugh of a bell”. Here, the sound the bell makes is being compared to the sound made by a
laughing child. Laughter is associated with having fun and people enjoying themselves. This
example of imagery, therefore, helps to creates a happy, carefree atmosphere. This contrasts
with the imagery used at the end, for example:
P
E “As the sky split open into a thunderstorm”
E
R
Duffy uses this metaphor to describe the way lightening looks – as if the sky is breaking
open. The word ‘split’ suggests something breaking which cannot be fixed; this could perhaps
respect the speaker’s lost innocence. This reflects the speaker’s feelings about growing up.
The imagery at the start suggests a happy, carefree atmosphere as the pupil clearly enjoyed
being in Mrs Tilscher’s class. However, this contrasts with the imagery at the end, which is
darker and suggests the awkwardness and confusion of growing up. By documenting this
period in the main character’s life, Duffy is telling us that growing up can be uncomfortable
but also exciting. She conveys the fear and excitement about growing up and suggests how
dramatic this is on a personal level – it is metaphorically like the sky splitting open.
P
Growing up is an aspect of life that is revealed in ‘In Mrs Tilshcher’s Class’. One way this is
revealed is through the poet’s use of different imagery at the beginning and at the end of the
poem, as demonstrated by this quotation:
E “The laugh of a bell swung by a running child”
E
In the second stanza the sound of the bell is compared to laughter in this metaphor: “The
laugh of a bell”. Here, the sound the bell makes is being compared to the sound made by a
laughing child. Laughter is associated with having fun and people enjoying themselves. This
example of imagery, therefore, helps to creates a happy, carefree atmosphere. This contrasts
with the imagery used at the end, for example:
P
E “As the sky split open into a thunderstorm”
E
R
Duffy uses this metaphor to describe the way lightening looks – as if the sky is breaking
open. The word ‘split’ suggests something breaking which cannot be fixed; this could perhaps
respect the speaker’s lost innocence. This reflects the speaker’s feelings about growing up.
The imagery at the start suggests a happy, carefree atmosphere as the pupil clearly enjoyed
being in Mrs Tilscher’s class. However, this contrasts with the imagery at the end, which is
darker and suggests the awkwardness and confusion of growing up. By documenting this
period in the main character’s life, Duffy is telling us that growing up can be uncomfortable
but also exciting. She conveys the fear and excitement about growing up and suggests how
dramatic this is on a personal level – it is metaphorically like the sky splitting open.
• Note how the quotation has been
presented on the page – with a line break
before and after.
• This is how you should include quotations
in your essays.
Your turn
Essay title:
Write about a poem in which
an aspect of life has been
revealed
Analysis technique: Imagery
Remember:
PEER
Peer Assessment
• Swap paragraphs with your partner and
check they have included the following:
– Point (topic sentence AND comment)
– Evidence (quote)
– Explain (analysis of the quote /
evaluation of techniques used)
– Response (personal response + link
back to the essay qu)
• Write down one thing they did well and
one thing they could improve next time
Paragraph 2
Example
A poem in which an aspect of life
has been revealed / word choice
Point:
• Another way that the idea of growing up is
revealed in the poem is through the use of
word choice. The poet’s use of word
choice creates different atmospheres
throughout the poem.
Evidence
• “chanted” and “good gold star”
• “feverish” and “electricity”
• To save time, use the examples on your
analysis grid
Explain
• The poet’s use of word choice suggests a
happy, carefree atmosphere at the
beginning of the poem and helps to create
a believable setting of a school classroom.
For example: “chanted” and “good gold
star”. “Chanted” tells the reader about the
way Mrs Tilscher speaks information to the
class – she uses a sing-song voice that
the reader will probably remember from
their own experience at primary school.
• This contrasts with the atmosphere
created through word choice at the end,
for instance: “feverish” and “electricity”.
Both these words have connotations of
excitement and fear or unpleasantness. By
using this word choice at the end of the
poem Duffy is making the point that
growing up can be terrifying but also
exciting.
Your turn
Essay title:
Write about a poem in which
an aspect of life has been
revealed
Analysis technique: Word choice
Remember:
P
E
E
R
Peer Assessment
• Swap paragraphs with your partner and
check they have included the following:
– Point (topic sentence AND comment)
– Evidence (quote)
– Explain (analysis of the quote /
evaluation of techniques used)
– Response (personal response + link
back to the essay qu)
• Write down one thing they did well and
one thing they could improve next time
Paragraph 3
Your turn
Essay title:
Write about a poem in which
an aspect of life has been
revealed
Analysis technique: Tone
Remember:
P
E
E
R
Use your tone analysis grids to
help you
• Pick one or two quotes and use that for the
‘evidence’ bit of paragraph 3
• Remember the essay is about how the poet
shows us an aspect of life (growing up)
•
•
•
•
In the explanation consider:
Tone at start = happy / chatty
Tone at end = more uncomfortable / dark
As the children turn into young adults as the
poem goes on, what does the change in tone tell
us about growing up?