The Thesis Statement

Presents Main Idea of Essay

Helps Focus the Essay on a
particular topic
Can be one, two, or three
sentences
Developing a Thesis Statement

Photo courtesy
of
http://www.polls
b.com/photos_h
andler/o/32883-
powerful_pulitz
er_prize_winnin
g_photo.jpg

What kind of thesis could you develop based on the picture above? By thinking of the
kind of story you would write you can come up with a thesis statement.
 Developing a Thesis Statement
Class Assignment

Picture
courtesy of
Rural Metro
Fire
Department
and
Knoxvillenews
.com

Working in pairs and focusing on the picture above provide at least one thesis statements that would be
the basis of writing an essay. Develop a heading for your thesis statement and explain your reason for
choosing your thesis statements. Your group will have to share the two statements and your reasons for
choosing them with the class.
 The Paragraph
Why write in paragraphs?
Because we think in a series of thoughts.
 Structure of the Paragraph
Beginning – Topic Sentence
Middle – Tells us more about the topic
sentence
End – Concludes the thought being
expressed in the paragraph
THEREFORE PARAGRAPH HAS TO HAVE
COHERENCE OR UNITY. IT HAS TO
MAKE SENSE TO THE READER.
 Paragraph Exercise
Arrange the jumbled paragraph below by numbering the sentences in correct order.

Courtesy of http://socrates.uhwo.hawaii.edu/Humanities/chock/handouts/jumbled.doc

• a-- Last Sunday, Joe got his plate of bacon and

scrambled eggs before I did!
• b-- At meal times, she feeds him a plate of whatever the
rest of us are eating: beef stew on rice, spaghetti with
tomato sauce, even Caesar’s salad.
• c– Afterwards, we went to church, and he sat in the front
seat, wearing his black bow tie as usual, ready to sing
his praises to the Lord.
• d-- My mother treats her dog just like a human.
• e-- First of all, she named him Joe--not a doggie name,
but a people name.
Answers to Jumbled Sentences
• d-- My mother treats her dog just like a human.
• e-- First of all, she named him Joe--not a doggie name,
but a people name.
• b-- At meal times, she feeds him a plate of whatever the
rest of us are eating: beef stew on rice, spaghetti with
tomato sauce, even Caesar’s salad.
• a-- Last Sunday, Joe got his plate of bacon and
scrambled eggs before I did!
• c– Afterwards, we went to church, and he sat in the front
seat, wearing his black bow tie as usual, ready to sing
his praises to the Lord.