THE FORMAL ESSAYENG 1DI
PARTS OF THE 5 PARAGRAPH ESSAY
1. INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH:
PURPOSE: TO INTEREST THE READER AND OUTLINE THE MAIN ARGUMENT
INCLUDES: A HOOK, BACKGROUND INFORMATION, THE THESIS STATEMENT
2. THREE BODY PARAGRAPHS:
PURPOSE: TO DEVELOP THE ARGUMENT
EACH PARAGRAPH INCLUDES: A TOPIC SENTENCE, POINT/PROOF/DISCUSSION FORMAT, A
CONCLUDING SENTENCE
3. CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH:
PURPOSE: TO SUM UP THE MAIN IDEAS
INCLUDES: A RESTATEMENT OF THE THESIS, NO NEW INFORMATION, A FINAL THOUGHT
THE THESIS STATEMENT
• THIS STATEMENT IS THE LAST SENTENCE IN THE INTRODUCTION
• IT IS THE FOUNDATION FOR YOUR ESSAY
• ALL POINTS MUST SUPPORT THIS STATEMENT
• STATES YOUR MAIN ARGUMENT
THESIS STATEMENT• EXAMPLE: SHANE KOYZAN’S “TO THIS DAY…THE BULLIED AND THE
BEAUTIFUL” TEACHES THE AUDIENCE THE IMPORTANCE OF TREATING OTHERS WITH RESPECT AS HE DETAILS THE HARM THAT BULLYING CAN DO, THE IMPACT NAME CALLING CAN HAVE AND THE NEED FOR UNDERSTANDING THE BULLIED HAVE.
• THE TOPICS FOR THE THREE BODY PARAGRAPHS ARE OUTLINES IN THE THESIS STATEMENTBODY PARAGRAPH #1BODY PARAGRAPH #2BODY PARAGRAPH #3
FORMAL WRITING RULES
• WRITE IN THE THIRD PERSON
IN MY OPINION HERCULES IS A GREAT HERO BECAUSE
HIS LIFE FOLLOWS THE HERO MYTH STRUCTURE.
(INCORRECT)
HERCULES IS A GREAT HERO BECAUSE HIS LIFE
FOLLOWS THE HERO MYTH STRUCTURE. (CORRECT)
FORMAL WRITING RULES
• AVOID CONTRACTIONS AND SHORT FORMS
HERCULES CAN’T EASILY COMPLETE ALL OF HIS 12 LABOURS SO HE MUST ACCEPT HELP FROM OTHERS (INCORRECT)
HERCULES CANNOT EASILY COMPLETE ALL OF HIS TWELVE LABOURS SO HE MUST ACCEPT HELP FROM OTHERS (CORRECT)
FORMAL WRITING RULES
• USE TRANSITION WORDS TO CONNECT IDEAS, SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHSFIRSTLY, SECONDLY, THIRDLYAS WELL, FURTHERMORE, ALSOIN CONTRAST, IN COMPARISONFINALLY, IN CONCLUSIONCLEARLY, EVIDENTLY
FORMAL WRITING RULES
• USE FORMAL LANGUAGE
INSTEAD OF KIDS USE CHILDREN
INSTEAD OF MOVIE USE FILM
QUOTATION INTEGRATION
• RULE: QUOTATIONS CAN NOT STAND ALONE
• RULE: QUOTATIONS MUST BE PART OF A GREATER SENTENCE
• RULE: ALL QUOTATION MUST BE CITED
EXAMPLE: KATH ENJOYS BULLYING OTHERS. THIS IS EVIDENT IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH: “HER NAME WAS HELEN, BUT KATH CALLED HER MOUSE FROM HER VERY FIRST DAY AT OUR SCHOOL” (MCNAUGHTON,62).
QUOTATION INTEGRATION
METHOD 1: FOR EXAMPLE
FOR EXAMPLE “HER NAME WAS HELEN, BUT KATH CALLED HER MOUSE FROM HER VERY FIRST DAY AT OUR SCHOOL” (MCNAUGHTON, 62).
METHOD 2: HE/SHE SAID
FOR EXAMPLE SHE SAID “WHAT IS THAT MOUSE DOING AT OUR TABLE? (MCNAUGHTON, 62)
QUOTATION INTEGRATION
METHOD 3 USING THE COLON (:)
KATH IS A BULLY WHO CALLS OTHERS NAMES: “HER NAME WAS HELEN, BUT KATH CALLED HER MOUSE FROM HER VERY FIRST DAY AT OUR SCHOOL” (MCNAUGHTON,62).
NEVER JUST DROP A QUOTATION IN WITHOUT CONTEXT
KATH IS A BULLY WHO CALLS OTHERS NAMES. “HER NAME WAS HELEN, BUT KATH CALLED HER MOUSE FROM HER VERY FIRST DAY AT OUR SCHOOL” (MCNAUGHTON,62). (INCORRECT)
LETS LOOK AT SAMPLES
• WHEN VIEWING THE SAMPLES MAKE NOTE OF THE FORMAT AND STYLE!
• LOOK FOR THE RULES WE JUST DISCUSSED!