Five Paragraph Essay
Five Paragraph Essay
Five Paragraph Essay
I. Introduction
a. Attention-getter (general facts, statistics, rhetorical questions, description,
etc.)
b. Background information (narrow down central idea)
c. Thesis statement (a claim/assertion that includes a developmental plan
outlining your intended argument; list your three main points)
V. Conclusion
a. Restate thesis (rephrase main idea)
b. Closing thoughts (So what? summary of main points, call to action,
quotation, question, reference back to introduction, future)
Source: http://owl.tulsacc.edu/Handouts/5%20Paragraph%20Essay%20Outline.pdf
You might find it easier to plan your writing if you use an outline such as
the following:
Title: ____________________
I. Introduction
A. Introductory statement
B. Thesis statement: ____________________
II. Body
A. First Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence):
____________________
1. ____________________
2. ____________________
3. ____________________
B. Second Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence):
____________________
1. ____________________
2. ____________________
3. ____________________
I. Introduction
A. Introductory statement
B. Thesis statement: I like watching movies but
I prefer watching them at home.
II. Body
A. First Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): just
getting to the theater presents difficulties
1. bad weather
2. long drive and limited parking space
3. long waiting to buy ticket
B. Second Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence):
facing the problems of the theater itself
1. old theaters’ problems such as smelly
carpet, worn-out seat, etc
2. new theaters’ problems such as
smaller size, noise from next movie
theater, etc
3. both floors will be rubber-like dirty at
the end of the movie
Source: http://lklivingston.tripod.com/essay/sample.html
II. When many people hear the word Africa, they picture steaming jungles
and gorillas. Hollywood films have shrunk the public image of this immense,
varied continent into a small segment of its actual diversity. To have a more
accurate picture of the whole continent, however, one should remember that
there are, roughly, three Africas, each with its distinct climate and terrain and
with a style of life suited to the environment. The continent can be divided into
the northern desert areas, the southeastern grasslands, and the tropical jungles to
the southwest.
The northern regions have the environment and living patterns of the
desert. Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco have hot, dry climates with very
little land suited to farming. Therefore, the population tends to be clustered into
cities along rivers or the seacoast or into smaller settlements near oases. For
thousands of years, people have lived in this vast region, subsisting partly on
what crops and animals they could raise and partly on trade with Europe.
The southeastern grasslands provide a better environment for animal life
and for some kinds of crops. Many wild animals inhabit the plains in this
region--elephants, giraffes, rhinoceros, antelopes, zebras, and lions. The people
in this area have long been expert cattle raisers and hunters. Tea, coffee, cotton,
cashew nuts, and tobacco are some of the main products grown in this region.
Fishing also provides some food and income for people along the coast. The
population here is less concentrated in cities and towns than in the north, but
tends to be denser in areas where adequate rainfall and fertile soil make farming
possible.
West Africa is the region closest to the Hollywood image of mysterious
jungles. As in the other two regions, the way people subsist depends upon their
environment. This does not mean that most of the people live in grass huts in the
jungle. Such nations as Nigeria have become highly modernized by income from
oil, timber, and minerals. Most of the western countries have some farming that
provides food and income; sugar cane, coffee, and tobacco are the important
cash crops, while bananas, rice, and corn are raised for food. Fishing in the
rivers and along the coast also accounts for food and income, and precious
stones, especially diamonds, enhance the economy of Angola and the Ivory
Coast.
Even a superficial look at the major regions of Africa shows that it is a
varied continent with several environments. Although most of the continent is
tropical in its range of temperature, the climate ranges from deserts to rain
forests. Similarly, human life-styles vary from the simplest rural villages to
industrial cities, both new and ancient. Contrary to the myth, however, jungle
life makes up only a very small portion of the whole of Africa.
Source: http://www.taftcollege.edu/instruct/LiberalArts/OWL/sampfive.htm