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STYLE SHEET FOR ENGLISH 10A or 10B FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY
MLA Heading
Student First Name Student Last Name
Teacher or Professor
Course, Assigment
00 Month, 2015
Format and Craft Your Writing Carefully
Use Standard English, avoid informal language
Double space
Use 12 pt. Times New Roman font
Always write in complete sentences unless it is for effect
Avoid run-on sentences or fragments
Write in third person - he, she, it
Avoid using “I” unless the essay is of a highly personal nature
Use past tense unless it is for effect
Indent all paragraphs
Proofread by reading out loud to check for easily corrected errors
Run spell check
Use blue and black ink for formal assignments
If you make an error, draw one line through the word and use a ^, then write the correction above the carat
If you have errors, make corrections and reprint
Common Problems with Usage
Subject-verb agreement -use they were, not they was, I saw, not I seen
Write out numbers from one to ten, otherwise use the number - 11
Use appropriate abbreviations (there is no abbreviation for you)
Avoid incorrect phrases - use all of a sudden, not all of the sudden
Avoid dropping the letter d -supposed to, not suppose to
Use should have not should of
Spell out because, not cuz or cause
Use homonyms correctly i.e. there shows direction- over there, their shows possession – their
car, they’re means they are – they are going to the movie
Watch for words that join together and become one word i.e. himself, not him self
Avoid contractions
Essay Construction/Organization & Structure
Paragraph 1: Set up the essay with a “hook,” “lead,” or “attention getter.” Introduce the topic in a thesis statement. A thesis statement gives an overview of the essay and the main point or positions you will prove or discuss in your essay. Use a transition statement to set up your next paragraph.
Paragraphs 2, 3, and 4: Discuss at least three different aspects of your topic – one per paragraph. Use explainers, support, evidence (examples, details, facts, incidents, comparisons, statistics, anecdotes, expert opinions, inferences, personal experiences and/or reasons) to prove your points. Organize your information logically. Use transitions to move from one paragraph to the next.
Paragraph 5: In a craftful way let the reader know that the end is near. Conclude your essay by restating in other words the important points you made in your essay. Make sure that you restate your overall thesis with strength. Leave the reader with a sense of finality by designing a clincher or a closing that extends the reader’s thinking.
© Thomas V. McLaughlin Jr., Mary Langille, Laurie Nielsen, 2006--for permission to use this document for purposes other than classes taken with these teachers, please contact them at Lewis Central High School, 3504 Harry Langdon Blvd., Council Bluffs, IA 51503
