The Five Paragraph Essay also known as The Three Point Essay

Does your mind go blank when you have to write an essay for a PSSA test or an English assignment? Do you stare at your notebook, chew your pen, and ask yourself helplessly, "What can I write about?" or "What can I say?"

If so, there is an easy solution to your problem - a solution that follows a simple format that is easy to do once you know how. Plus your essay will look as if you really know what you are talking about.

Add an introduction and a conclusion and you are done. All you have to do is pick a topic - any topic - and say three things about it. Add an introduction and a conclusion and you are done.

3 Give three qualities of good students, three things you wish you could change about school, three qualities that make a perfect football player, three results of poor study habits, three things you hate.

In the study of composition, such an essay is called a three-point enumeration or a five paragraph essay.

The five paragraph essay is: short, easy to organize, easy to prepare, and easy for a reader or listener to remember.

For a student, the best way to organize a three-point essay is to plan five paragraphs.

In the first paragraph, you should introduce your subject and indicate what your approach will be, perhaps even listing your three points. This is you introduction.

Avoid boring introductions such as "in this paper I will try to explain three results of poor study habits." You can use an introduction like this or you may make it more exciting. Instead, you might begin like this:

Brrrrrrring. The alarm clock sounds in my ear Brrrrrrring! The alarm clock sounds in my ear. I grab the clock and throw it against the wall, and let out a loud groan. Another Monday morning has arrived, and I never opened a book all weekend. What if Mr. Jones gives another one of his psycho pop quizzes today? Suddenly I feel too sick to eat breakfast. My poor study habits are giving me nervous indigestion, ruining my self-confidence, and destroying my hopes for a college scholarship.

Brrrrrrring. The alarm clock sounds in my ear Brrrrrrring! The alarm clock sounds in my ear. I grab the clock and throw it against the wall, and let out a loud groan. Another Monday morning has arrived, and I never opened a book all weekend. What if Mr. Jones gives another one of his psycho pop tests today? Suddenly I feel too sick to eat breakfast. My poor study habits are (1) giving me nervous indigestion, (2)ruining my self-confidence, and (3) destroying my hopes for a college scholarship.

The next three paragraphs should cover the three main points: - a paragraph about indigestion, - a paragraph about self-confidence, - and a final, perhaps longer, paragraph about college and scholarships. * Be sure to save your most important and interesting point until this fourth paragraph. Save the best for last.

Your fifth paragraph should be a conclusion in which you summarize or perhaps suggest some kind of action. But I refuse to give up. I'm tired of being sick at my stomach, tired of feeling guilty, tired of worrying about college. Starting today, I'm going to use the study hall and the library for studying instead of daydreaming. Starting tonight, I'll finish my homework before I watch television. University of Chicago, Here I come!

You may be wondering whether it is necessary to limit yourself to three points. Why not four or seven or nineteen? There's no magic in the number three, but a good writer or speaker will be wary of boring or confusing his readers or audience. For example..

I want to say three things about freedom… …the Mayor of Springfield begins his speech at the annual Fourth of July picnic. He might also say four or five things about freedom and still keep everyone's attention.

But if he says seven things about freedom, he's flirting with trouble, And if he says 29 things about freedom, his speech will be a disaster, even if he somehow manages to keep it down to fifteen minutes. Half of the audience will be snickering, the other half will be grinding their teeth, and no one will remember any of the 29 points.

On how to write a cohesive paragraph NOW A Little Refresher On how to write a cohesive paragraph

Now, if you can string five of these paragraphs together…. The Basic Building Block Topic Sentence First Sentence of proof Second sentence of proof Third Sentence of proof Concluding Sentence Now, if you can string five of these paragraphs together….

Paragraph Multi-Paragraph Topic Sentence Introductory Paragraph First Sentence of proof Second sentence of proof Third Sentence of proof Concluding Sentence Introductory Paragraph First paragraph of proof Second paragraph of proof Third paragraph of proof Concluding Paragraph

Review: Three Points, Five Paragraphs Introduction Thesis Statement: My poor study habits are giving me nervous indigestion, ruining my self-confidence, and destroying my hopes for a college scholarship. ¶ 1 ¶ 3 ¶ 4 ¶ 2 A paragraph about indigestion A paragraph about self-confidence A paragraph about college and scholarships Sick at my stomach Feeling guilty Worrying about college Conclusion & Call to Action May restate thesis in different words ¶ 5

Review: Three Points, Five Paragraphs Introduction Thesis Statement: May list the three points ¶ 1 ¶ 3 ¶ 4 ¶ 2 A paragraph about point one A paragraph about point two A paragraph about point three Conclusion & Call to Action May restate thesis in different words ¶ 5

DOING THE MATH ¶ 1 Introduction Thesis Statement: May list the three points 5 sentences or more ¶ 1 ¶ 3 ¶ 4 ¶ 2 A paragraph about point one A paragraph about point two A paragraph about point three 5 sentences or more 5 sentences or more 5 sentences or more Conclusion & Call to Action May restate thesis in different words TOTAL:25 sentences or more 5 sentences or more ¶ 5

Today you will start your outline and finish it for homework. Tomorrow, you will write a five paragraph essay on … what three things would you change about school? Today you will start your outline and finish it for homework. So begin thinking. You will have all class period tomorrow to work on your essay (silently and by yourself).

Your essay tomorrow will be graded on how well you followed the outline of a five paragraph essay (50 points). The End