1 How to Write an Effective Paragraph Adapted by Ms. Gandhi

2 How to Write an Effective Paragraph –G–GREEN is for Commentary Sentences (CM). –R–RED is for Concrete Details (CD). –B–BLUE is for Topic Sentences (TS) and Concluding Sentences (CS).

3 Step 1: TOPIC SENTENCE A Topic Sentence (TS) is the top bun of a hamburger. TS = first sentence of the paragraph. It shows the main idea.

4 1 ) The World Council instills fear in its citizens to control their lives. Example Topic Sentence (TS)

5 Step 2: CONCRETE DETAILS Concrete Details (CD) are the meat of the hamburger. CDs = facts, quotes, examples, etc. from the text. CDs can’t be argued with—a CD is evidence that supports your point!

6 Example Concrete Detail (CD) 2) For example, Equality observes: “Fear walks through the City, fear without name, without shape. All men feel it and none dare to speak.” (46).

7 Step 3: COMMENTARY Commentary Sentences (CM) are the “extras” on the hamburger—the tomato, cheese, lettuce, mayo—they make it delicious! CMs = your analysis, interpretation, explanation, or insight into the text.

8 Example Commentary Sentences (2 CMs) 3) The fear in the City is so potent that the brother-men cannot even acknowledge fear itself. 4) It breaks their spirits and forces them into obedience. The fear is personified to show that fear is a real as a person next to the brother- men.

9 Step 4: CONCLUDING SENTENCE A concluding sentence (CS) is the bottom bun of the hamburger. A CS wraps up the paragraph. It rephrases the main idea.

10 Example Concluding Sentence (CS) 5) Therefore, the fear the World Council has unleashed on the people is not just fear as an emotion but fear that is tangible and punishing.

11 TS, CD, CM, CS—Now What? CHUNKING In English, we will mostly use a combination (or “ratio”) of 1:2. That is, for every 1 CD, you will have 2 CMs. A combination of CDs and CMs is called a “chunk.”

12 One Chunk: 1 CD + 2 CM For example, Equality observes: “Fear walks through the City, fear without name, without shape. All men feel it and none dare to speak.” (46). The fear in the City is so potent that the brother-men cannot even acknowledge fear itself. It breaks their spirits and forces them into obedience. The fear is personified to show that fear is a real as a person next to the brother-men. Ratio = 1:2

13 LET’S EAT! Now you know how to write a one-chunk paragraph! Let’s read it all together:

14 Step 6: A Whole Paragraph The World Council instills fear in its citizens to control their lives. For example, Equality observes: “Fear walks through the City, fear without name, without shape. All men feel it and none dare to speak.” (46). The fear in the City is so potent that the brother-men cannot even acknowledge fear itself. It breaks their spirits and forces them into obedience. The fear is personified to show that fear is a real as a person next to the brother- men. Therefore, the fear the World Council has unleashed on the people is not just fear as an emotion but fear that is tangible and punishing.