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Table of Contents | Reference Texts | Workbook: Lessons & Exercises

English
Organization


An essay, like most other forms of oral and written communication, has a beginning, a middle, and an end.  The following diagram of the five-paragraph essay provides a model that can be decreased or expanded depending on the length of the document.  In other words, the same model may be used for a three-paragraph essay as well as for a three-hundred-page book.  The important thing to note is that all good writing is circular; that is, the ending comes back to what was introduced in the beginning.

 

Five-Paragraph Essay Form

 

Title of the Essay

 

Introduction

Good opening sentence

Background Information


Thesis statement

Subtopic sentence

 

The opening sentence attracts the reader’s attention.

The background information gives the material
background needed to understand the subject.

The thesis statement gives the main idea of the essay.

The subtopic sentence gives the major supports of the discussion.

First Body Paragraph

Topic sentence
Supporting details

Second Body Paragraph

Topic sentence
Supporting details

Third Body Paragraph

Topic sentence
Supporting details

The topic sentences give the main idea of each body paragraph.  Each of these sentences is a major support and is given in the subtopic sentence of the introduction.

Supporting details explain and develop the topic sentences of the three body paragraphs.

Conclusion

Good ending sentence

Overview of the subject

 

A good ending sentence gives the reader something to remember and think about.

An overview of the subject gives a short summary of the main ideas.

 

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