How To Write a Paragraph The TEEES Paragraph Format 1

What does TEEES stand for? TEEES is an acronym that helps us to organize a paragraph. T-TOPIC SENTENCE E-EVIDENCE EE-EXPLANATION (2 sentences) S-SUM it all up/SEGUE to your next paragraph 2

Step 1: TOPIC SENTENCE A Topic Sentence (T) is the top bun of a hamburger. T = first sentence of the paragraph. Shows the main idea of the paragraph & links the paragraph to the thesis. 3

Example Topic Sentence (T): In “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” the damaging power of suspicion appears early in the story. 4

Step 2: EVIDENCE Evidence (E) is the meat of the hamburger. E = Support for your T (facts, quotes, examples from text) E’s can’t be argued with—an E is evidence that supports your point! 5

Example Evidence (E) For example, after Les Goodman’s car mysteriously starts, the stage notes indicate that, “The camera pans along the faces of people as they stare...illogically, wildly frightened” (p. 73). 6

Step 3: EXPLANATION Explanation Sentences (E) are the “extras” on the hamburger—the tomato, cheese, lettuce—that make it delicious! E = your analysis or interpretation for how the Evidence proves your claim from your topic sentence. You must always have at least 2 Explanation sentences for each Evidence! 7

Example Explanation Sentences (2 Es) In this scene, it becomes clear that the neighbors are suspicious of Les Goodman because his car starts on its own. It shows how logic and reasoning are beginning to disappear as they start their destructive search for a scapegoat. 8

Step 4: SUM IT UP-Concluding Sentence SUM it up is your concluding sentence (S). It is the bottom bun of the hamburger. An S sentence wraps up the paragraph. It rephrases the main idea so we come back full “circle” to the beginning. 9

Example Concluding Sentence (S) In conclusion, the people of Maple Street are starting to become the monsters Rod Serling warned us about. 10

One-Chunk Body Paragraph T – States your claim/opinion E – Provides evidence (“For example…”) E - Explains evidence (“This shows…”) E – Explains importance of evidence & how it proves your thesis (“This reveals… because...”“This is important because...”) S – Sums it up, or Concluding Sentence – Sums it up and ties back to the thesis - (“As a result...”) 11

Step 6: A Whole Paragraph In “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” the damaging power of suspicion appears early in the story. For example, after Les Goodman’s car mysteriously starts, the stage notes indicate that “the camera pans along the faces of people as they stare...illogically, wildly frightened” (p. 73). In this scene, it becomes clear that the neighbors are suspicious of Les Goodman because his car starts on its own. It shows how logic and reasoning are beginning to disappear as they start their destructive search for a scapegoat. In conclusion, the people of Maple Street are starting to become the monsters Rod Serling warned us about. 12

Summarize!! An acronym to remember how to structure a body paragraph is _____________. The T is the _______________. The 1st E stands for ___________, which is the __________. The 2nd and 3rd Es are the ______________. The S stands for __________ where you ________. 13