<p> The Five Paragraph Essay </p><p>*This is a keep for the whole year booklet. Store it, hold on to it, and look back at it whenever the word essay comes up. You will be thankful you did! Table of Contents: 2</p><p>The five paragraph essay……………………..…3</p><p>Visual of the essay outline………………..….4 </p><p>Operation controlling idea……………...….…5</p><p>Your introduction to introduction paragraphs…………………………………………….……6</p><p>Check out the body on that essay………………………………………………………….…7</p><p>I conclude we should get to the conclusion of this all…………………………..…8</p><p>The 5 Paragraph Essay 3</p><p>There are 5 parts to this type of essay. Once you learn the structure of this essay it will be a tool for you to create a well written persuasive or argumentative essay! The breakdown goes like this: Three main components to the essay: 1) Introductory Paragraph 2) Main Body 3) Closing paragraph</p><p>Both the introductory and closing paragraphs are one paragraph, each coupled with three paragraphs found in the main body- voila! A five paragraph essay! Let’s talk about what exactly these three main components are…</p><p>1) Introductory Paragraph:  The first sentence usually grabs the reader’s attention  Tells what the essay is about  Contains the controlling idea  Last sentence is a “hook” that leads to the first paragraph of the body in the essay</p><p>2) Main Body: I) the first paragraph within the body:  Should contain the strongest argument you have from your controlling idea  The subject of your paragraph should be evident from the first few sentences and relate to the controlling idea.  Your last sentence should tie into the second paragraph of the essay II) Second paragraph within the body:  Should be your “second best” point from your controlling idea.  As well, subject should be clear by first few sentences, and have a tie into the third paragraph. </p><p>III) Third Paragraph within the body:  Last argument or point from your controlling idea.  Subject is clear within first few sentences, and has a tie to your final paragraph in the essay</p><p>3) Concluding Paragraph:  The summary paragraph of the essay that wraps everything up.  The last opportunity to convince the reader of your position.  The controlling idea is re-stated in different words.  A strong concluding sentence that shows that your discussion has come to an end. 4</p><p>Visual of the essay outline</p><p>So the paragraph format will look like this:</p><p>Paragraph #1:</p><p>Paragraph #2:</p><p>Paragraph #3:</p><p>Paragraph #4:</p><p>Paragraph #5: 5 Operation Controlling Idea</p><p>What is a controlling idea?  It tells the reader how you interpret the subject or question that you are writing about.  Think of it like a road map; it is telling the audience where you are taking your essay.  It is usually one well written sentence that presents your argument to the audience and they can expect that the body of your essay will contain evidence to support your interpretation.  To begin writing controlling ideas, you first have to decide what you are writing about or what your opinion is.  Then plan what three super strong points you will address in your thesis that relate to your interpretation.  Now write a strong sentence that makes your position clear using your three points. Remember, you want to discuss your strongest point first.</p><p>As an example (yes a very easy example that everyone can relate to as to make a point): dogs</p><p> Okay what is my interpretation of this subject? I can’t just write about everything I know, feel, and think about dogs. That essay would go on forever! I have to narrow it down to an interpretation of the subject.  I will write about why dogs make good pets.  Now I need to think of three really good reasons of why dogs make good pets. Let’s see…  They are obedient  Variety of breeds to choose from  Activity and work they can do</p><p>Okay, now it is time to try and put it into a strong sentence. But first let’s look at some examples of what you don’t want it to look like:</p><p>“Dogs make good pets.”</p><p>- Great, thanks for telling me that but I still do not know why you think that.</p><p>“There are many reasons that dogs make good pets.”</p><p>- Okay so I know you think they make a good pet, but I am not exactly sure what you will be talking about in your essay. You could be talking about any number of reasons!</p><p>What a strong controlling ideas could look like: 6 “Dogs are a good choice for pets because there are many breeds to choose from, can engage in many forms of activity or work, and are obedient when trained properly.”</p><p>- Now we’re talking! I know your subject, opinion, and where this essay is going. I can tell from reading that you are first going to talk about breeds of dogs, how they are obedient, and lastly how they are active pets that can work as well. Your introduction to introduction paragraphs</p><p>Your introduction paragraph is like a first impression. It also contains the jewel of your essay; your controlling idea. We don’t just want to spew out our thesis statement in the first opening sentence and give it away. Instead we want to write an opening statement that will grab the reader’s attention. We want to sound knowledgeable, so we want to choose our first sentence wisely. Let’s go back to our example of dogs that we used to learn about thesis statements. </p><p>Here are some ways we don’t want to introduce our readers to our essay:</p><p>“Cat’s suck.”</p><p>- Uh huh. Is the essay going to be about cats? Wait, am I reading an essay?</p><p>“I hate cats.”</p><p>- I am glad you feel this way, but it is still not clear what the topic or subject of the essay is. I am worried you are not very knowledgeable about your topic. I also wonder if you are going to be able to sway my opinion on the matter.</p><p>“Cats are inferior to dogs.”</p><p>- We’re getting closer. I know you prefer dogs to cats, but we need to work on sounding intelligent and knowledgeable about our topic.</p><p>Here is an example of how we could introduce the reader to our essay:</p><p>“Man has referred to dog as his best friend for decades, and for good reason as they are the superior choice for a pet over any other.”</p><p>- This statement works well because you’ve made it clear that you believe dogs are the best choice for a pet, and even used in a common known statement to tie it all in. </p><p>You’ve got your introductory sentence and now we can add the controlling idea to it. This needs a couple more sentences to make the paragraph complete, as well as a good closing sentence that links to your first paragraph in the body and then it is a great introductory paragraph:</p><p>Man has referred to dog as his best friend for decades, and for good reason as they are the superior choice for a pet over any other. Owning a pet is a big commitment on many levels and time should be taken to reflect which type is right for you. Every person may have different ideas of what they look for in choosing a type of pet, but why dogs stand out from other choices is obvious. They are an excellent pet because there are many breeds to choose from, can engage in 7 many forms of activity or work, and are obedient when trained properly. There is a world of dogs out there, and there is bound to be one type for you.</p><p>Notice that last sentence? It is a snappy sounding last sentence and it also does a very important job; connects to your first paragraph and first point you are going to discuss (many breeds to choose from). This introductory paragraph is clear, concise, and will have your reader want to keep reading. It makes a pretty good first impression, which is what you want. Check out the body on that essay!</p><p>The body of your essay is where your opinion has to win over the reader. As discussed previously, your strongest point should be the topic of your first paragraph in the body of your essay. Try to have three ideas to support your reason that you will discuss in your paragraph. You want to strive to have a well written paragraph that flows and not just list off your point and three reasons why. Let’s go over an example of how to write a body paragraph. Back to the dogs…</p><p>My strongest point that I want to discuss in my essay of why dogs make the best pet is that there are so many breeds to choose from. I need to think of three ideas to support this reason. (Ideally, this was already done on your essay planning outline sheet and you would just be working on how to meld it all together into one paragraph.) </p><p>1) Breeds of different sizes 2) Different breeds in regards to how much exercise 3) Breeds that shed or do not shed. </p><p>Now before I start writing I need to keep in mind what my next body paragraph is about because I need to be able to link the two. The second point I wanted to discuss according to my thesis was about how dogs work and the activities they can do. This sounds like it would link well with idea number two I have, so I will want to make sure that I mention that towards the end of my paragraph so they can create a bridge from one paragraph to another.</p><p>I should also think of a good opening sentence to keep the reader’s attention, as well make sure the subject of my paragraph is made clear early on. Here we go:</p><p>There are quite literally hundreds of different breeds of dogs. This can make choosing quite the process, but there will be one to match a pet owner’s wants and needs. Consideration of who is already living where you plan to bring the dog to is important. If there are small children in the picture then a big dog may not be the best choice at this time, and a medium sized dog may be a better choice. The size of your living space is also important when choosing as if you have ample room then a large dog would be perfect, or if you live in a small apartment or house perhaps a small dog is a wise breed to go with. No matter the size of your living space there is a dog that will work with it, that’s one of the best things about them. Some people who are allergic to pet dander may think that owning a dog isn’t a possibility. In today’s society allergies to pets are very common, but that doesn’t mean that owning a dog would be out of the question. It would just mean having a dog that sheds its hair or skin isn’t an option. You would want to choose a breed that is non-shedding. There are many breeds to choose from that are non-shedding and make cleaning up pet dander a breeze. Besides cleaning up after our dogs there is the 8 commitment to exercising them as well. All pets need exercise, but how much of it they will need on a daily basis is different. The amount of exercise a pet needs is usually related to the size. People need exercise too, and this is why a dog can make the best pet is because it give you someone to exercise with. The possibilities of how you can exercise with your dog are endless.</p><p>Now this paragraph is sort of long, and in the context of writing essays at the junior high level we want to keep it at the 5 paragraph level so it does go on a bit. As you get more advanced in your essay writing, you will be able to include more paragraphs into the body and this paragraph could possibly get broken into two. </p><p>Notice how the last sentence was about how you can exercise your dog? That is the topic of my next paragraph in the body, and the second point from my thesis. Strategically planned if I do say so myself! It will make a good start to my next paragraph. </p><p>I conclude we should get to the conclusion of this all</p><p>So by now I have written all three of my body paragraphs and it is now time to hit this essay out of the ballpark with a really great concluding paragraph. I have tried my best to convince the audience of my opinion on the subject and need to wrap it all up. I will start with a sentence that resonates my opinion on the whole matter, re-state my controlling idea but in a different way, and end with a sentence that tells the reader it is over and won’t have them thinking they should be turning the page to keep reading. So for one last time, let’s go back to the dogs…</p><p>My opinion was that dogs make the best choice for pets. A good sentence that reflects that is what I should start off with:</p><p>Humans are complex people with many different needs and the world of dog breeds is just as complex ensuring a perfect match. </p><p>I now need to re-state my controlling ideas in a different way:</p><p>With a little bit of reflection on what you want out of a dog you will be able to choose a breed that is right for you from the many that exist, enjoy partaking in activities with your dog, and teaching them to be an obedient pet you will love for years.</p><p>I also need to think of a way to end the essay:</p><p>Dogs are an extremely loyal animal, so once you’ve chosen which one is your perfect match it will surely follow you with as much dedication and commitment that you put into choosing it. 9</p><p>Now let’s put it together with a little extra pizzazz for a fantastic conclusion:</p><p>Humans are complex people with many different needs and the world of dog breeds is just as complex ensuring a perfect match. This is what makes having a dog as a pet such a wise choice. There are very few other pets that offer such a wide variety of option to fit our lifestyles. With a little bit of reflection on what you want out of a dog you will be able to choose a breed that is right for you from the many that exist, enjoy partaking in activities with your dog, and teaching them to be an obedient pet you will love for years. Dogs are an extremely loyal animal, so once you’ve chosen which one is your perfect match it will surely follow you with as much dedication and commitment that you put into choosing it. Wow! Finishing strong in your essay can really help in that final push to win over your reader. </p><p>With practice, your essay writing will be just as good. It doesn’t happen over night! The most important thing is having a good foundation to your essay writing to grow with. So grow!</p>