1. Acing those essays:
ACES=A Useful Acronym

2. In EVERY paragraph:
You must have a TOPIC SENTENCE that answers the question – A
Later on, I went to C. T. Walker and missed my old school.

3. Like this: Later on, I went to C. T. Walker and missed my old school.
Changing schools was the hardest thing I had ever done.

4. IN every PARAGRAPH: C E CITE evidence that PROVES your answer. *
EXPLAIN your evidence – HOW does it prove your
answer?* DO “C” and “E” AT LEAST TWICE.

5. Like this:
Changing schools was the hardest thing I had ever done.
(C) I had to leave my old friends behind. (E) I especially missed Kelly. We had been best friends since kindergarten.

6. And again:
(C) I also had to get used to a new school building. (E) The first day, I got lost on my way to the cafeteria and almost missed lunch. Then I ended up late to my next class. I just wanted to sit in the hall and cry.

7. In EVERY paragraph:
(S) Summarize with a concluding sentence.

8. Like This:
(S) Getting used to my new school took a month of hard work and attitude adjustment, but I finally made it.

9. SO, ALWAYS: (A) – answer the question (TOPIC SENTENCE)
(C) – cite examples
(E) – explain each example with at least TWO sentences
(S) – summarize (CONCLUDING SENTENCE)

10. YOUR GROUP SHARE: (A) answers (C) cites (E) explains (S) summarizes
Pair up with someone and correct the assigned paragraph so that it
(A) answers
(C) cites
(E) explains
(S) summarizes