The Five Paragraph GED Essay revised

The Five Paragraph Essay:

The Five Paragraph Essay Or How to Beat the GED Clock

What’s Going to Happen?:

What’s Going to Happen? You will be given a topic. That is the topic you must write about. You can’t trade for another topic. If it includes words you don’t know, you can’t ask for a definition. You’ll have to try to figure out the word by looking at the other words in the sentence. Most important : Don’t Panic. Give yourself some time during the grammar part to let the topic “brew” in your brain. You will probably understand it better when you return to it. Take the grammar test first. If you finish it a few minutes early, you can put those extra minutes onto the time you have to write the essay.

How to Get that Essay Started:

How to Get that Essay Started Read your topic carefully. Be sure that you understand the questions AND that you understand exactly what they want you to write about. Sample topic questions: Many states are passing laws so students cannot graduate without passing a series of competency exams. Is this good or bad? State your opinion and support it with details. Anti-smokers feel their health is being endangered by smokers, and smokers feel they are being denied their rights by anti- smoking legislation. State your opinion about anti-smoking laws and back it up with specific examples.

And…so…What do you do?:

And…so…What do you do? You do not need to supply statistics. It is your opinion that matters. On scratch paper, write one short sentence stating your opinion. Think of 3 clear reasons why you have your opinion. Under your opinion statement on the scratch paper, write your 3 reasons for your opinion.

Sample Scratch Paper:

Sample Scratch Paper I think anti-smoking laws are a good idea. Smoking is bad for the secondhand smoker Smoking is really stinky It’s a messy habit Notice that there is space between each point.

Sample Scratch Paper Now add supporting ideas to your main ideas. :

Sample Scratch Paper Now add supporting ideas to your main ideas. I think anti-smoking laws are a good idea. Smoking is bad for the secondhand smoker asthma lung cancer colds and sinus infections Smoking is really stinky clothes smell car is ruined definite bad breath It’s a messy habit ashtrays burned clothes On this paper, don’t worry about punctuation, spelling, grammar because this is for your eyes only.

Okay, you have your ideas. NOW WHAT?:

Okay, you have your ideas. NOW WHAT?

Write Your Introduction:

Write Your Introduction Start with a broad statement about your topic. Smoking is a controversial activity.

Write Your Introduction:

Write Your Introduction Then add a few more sentences that get more specific. Smoking is a controversial activity. Many people smoke but lots of other people don’t. There is often conflict between smokers and non-smokers.

Then Add the THESIS STATEMENT:

Then Add the THESIS STATEMENT Smoking is a controversial activity. Many people smoke but lots of other people don’t. There is often conflict between smokers and non-smokers. I think anti-smoking laws are a good idea because of health, smell and dirtiness. Note that the thesis statement is short and simple. It tells the reader exactly what your opinion is about the topic and gives 3 reasons why. This is the “roadmap” for the rest of your paper.

And Then What? :

And Then What? Your next three paragraphs will be about the reasons for your opinion that you stated in your thesis statement. Health of the second-hand smoker Smell Dirtiness

The Body of Your Essay:

The Body of Your Essay Start your first body paragraph with a topic sentence . The secondhand smoker is the person who needs to be protected from the smoker. The topic sentence tells the reader that the rest of the paragraph will be about one idea. In this case, the health of secondhand smokers. Note that this sentence contains the first idea in the notes from the scratch paper. Don’t forget to indent the first line of every paragraph!

The Body of Your Essay:

The Body of Your Essay Then add the supporting ideas that you have on your scratch paper. The secondhand smoker is the person who needs to be protected from the smoker. Secondhand smokers, including children, can get asthma from secondhand smoke. Some secondhand smokers even get lung cancer. I believe that my sister’s kids get lots of colds and sinus infections because my sister and her husband smoke around their kids all the time.

The Body of Your Essay:

The Body of Your Essay Now start your next paragraph with another topic sentence. I feel that smoking has to be one of the smelliest past-times possible. Not only do a smoker’s clothes smell bad but so does everyone else’s who hangs out with him. A smoker’s car stinks and is harder to re-sell because of it. Finally, there is the issue of nasty breath. My boyfriend smokes and now I make him brush his teeth before kissing me because it’s too disgusting.

And Then Your Last Body Paragraph:

And Then Your Last Body Paragraph Write your topic sentence and supporting ideas Finally, I have to say that smoking is totally messy. I hate the smell and clean-up of dirty ashtrays. There is nothing worse than burn holes, that were caused by someone else’s cigarette, in good shirts and pants.

Your Conclusion:

Your Conclusion Are you done? Not quite. Now write a short and sweet conclusion. Include your thesis idea and your three main supporting ideas. I hope are you convinced that people should be protected from smokers by anti-smoking laws. Secondhand smokers suffer from smokers by losing their health. The smell and messiness of smoking also make it worth passing laws against it. I want our politicians to listen to people and pass anti-smoking laws.

Now let’s look at the entire essay. What do you think? Will it pass?:

Now let’s look at the entire essay. What do you think? Will it pass? Smoking is a controversial activity. Many people smoke but lots of other people don’t. There is often conflict between smokers and non-smokers. I think anti-smoking laws are a good idea because of health, smell and dirtiness. The secondhand smoker is the person who needs to be protected from the smoker. Secondhand smokers, including children can get asthma from secondhand smoke. Some secondhand smokers even get lung cancer. I believe that my sister’s kids get lots of colds and sinus infections because my sister and her husband smoke around their kids all the time. I feel that smoking has to be one of the smelliest past-times possible . Not only do a smokers clothes smell bad but so does everyone else’s who hangs out with him. A smoker’s car stinks and is harder to re-sell because of it. Finally, there is the issue of nasty breath. My boyfriend smokes and now I make him brush his teeth before kissing me because it’s too disgusting. Finally, I have to say that smoking is totally messy. I hate the smell and clean-up of dirty ashtrays. There is nothing worse than burn holes in good shirts and pants. I hope are you convinced that people should be protected from smokers by anti-smoking laws. Secondhand smokers suffer from smokers by losing their health. The smell and messiness of smoking also make it worth passing laws against. I want our politicians to listen to people and pass anti-smoking laws.

Some Things to Keep in Mind:

Some Things to Keep in Mind You will not be graded for your handwriting, but your writing must be legible. Most of your essay score will depend upon how well organized your essay is. The test readers are fairly forgiving about spelling unless you misspell a word that appears in the topic you were given. Don’t use swear words. If you think it might be a swear word, don’t use it. Use your time wisely. If you finish early, proof read.

GOOD LUCK!:

GOOD LUCK!