Persuasive Essay Outline

INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH
HOOK (Lead): Grab your readers attention and draw them in; make them interested.
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Background info./Context: Briefly explain the situation. What is the topic of the essay? Why
are you writing about this?
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Thesis Sentence: State what you will prove in your essay. This is your ANSWER to the question
asked in the prompt.
Thesis fill-in-the-blank example:

The principal should spend the money on __(option 1, 2, or 3)__ because __(Reason 1) _,
__(Reason 2)__, and __(Reason 3)__. Write your thesis sentence here:
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BODY PARAGRAPH 1
First, you must STATE your main point of the paragraph in the Topic Sentence. This sentence
must relate back to your thesis (your answer to the prompt) and tell what the entire paragraph
will focus on. Topic Sentence (TS):
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.
a. Concrete Detail (CD): Give a specific reason that SUPPORTS your main point in the TS.
This could be a quote from an interview, a statistic, a fact, an example, or any relevant
information that will prove your point.
Sentence Starters: A specific example that proves this is One fact that supports this
is
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__.
b. Commentary (CM): Now, EXPLAIN how this concrete detail proves your main point in the
topic sentence.
Commentary Sentence Starters: ______ is important because This shows This
means This suggests...
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__.

c. Commentary (CM): Elaborate; continue to EXPLAIN your thoughts about the concrete
detail you provided above.
Commentary Sentence Starters: This clearly demonstrates This proves In other
words
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_.
d. Concluding Sentence: Wrap up what youve said in the paragraph, without repeating
anything.
Concluding Sentence Starters: As can be seen It is clear that Clearly it is true
that Obviously

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BODY PARAGRAPH 2
First, you must STATE your main point of the paragraph in the Topic Sentence. This sentence
must relate back to your thesis (your answer to the prompt) and tell what the entire paragraph
will focus on. Topic Sentence (TS):
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
.
a. Concrete Detail (CD): Give a specific reason that SUPPORTS your main point in the TS.
This could be a quote from an interview, a statistic, a fact, an example, or any relevant
information that will prove your point.
Sentence Starters: A specific example that proves this is One fact that supports this
is
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
__.
b. Commentary (CM): Now, EXPLAIN how this concrete detail proves your main point in the
topic sentence.
Commentary Sentence Starters: ______ is important because This shows This
means This suggests...
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
__.
c. Commentary (CM): Elaborate; continue to EXPLAIN your thoughts about the concrete
detail you provided above.
Commentary Sentence Starters: This clearly demonstrates This proves In other
words
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_.
d. Concluding Sentence: Wrap up what youve said in the paragraph, without repeating
anything.
Concluding Sentence Starters: As can be seen It is clear that Clearly it is true
that Obviously
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.

BODY PARAGRAPH 3
First, you must STATE your main point of the paragraph in the Topic Sentence. This sentence
must relate back to your thesis (your answer to the prompt) and tell what the entire paragraph
will focus on. Topic Sentence (TS):
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
.
a. Concrete Detail (CD): Give a specific reason that SUPPORTS your main point in the TS.
This could be a quote from an interview, a statistic, a fact, an example, or any relevant
information that will prove your point.
Sentence Starters: A specific example that proves this is One fact that supports this
is
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
__.
b. Commentary (CM): Now, EXPLAIN how this concrete detail proves your main point in the
topic sentence.
Commentary Sentence Starters: ______ is important because This shows This
means This suggests...
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
__.
c. Commentary (CM): Elaborate; continue to EXPLAIN your thoughts about the concrete
detail you provided above.
Commentary Sentence Starters: This clearly demonstrates This proves In other
words
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_.
d. Concluding Sentence: Wrap up what youve said in the paragraph, without repeating
anything.
Concluding Sentence Starters: As can be seen It is clear that Clearly it is true
that Obviously
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.
COUNTERARGUMENT
First, you must STATE the opposite point of view in the Topic Sentence. What is one main
reason why someone might argue against your thesis? Counterargument Topic Sentence

Starters: One might argue that Others believe

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a. Concrete Detail (CD #1): Give a rebuttal. This is a specific reason that SUPPORTS your
thesis, and answers the opposite viewpoints concern. Prove that your thesis is still correct
by providing contrasting evidence or by finding mistakes and inconsistencies in the logic of
the opposing argument (Explain why they are wrong and you are right!). Sentence Starters:
Even though others argue____, ____ is in fact true because Granted, others believe
____, ____ should still be supported because Although _____, _____ can be proven
because
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__.
b. Commentary (CM): Now, EXPLAIN how this proves your thesis. Why should the reader
agree with you?
Commentary Sentence Starters: _____ is important because This shows This
means This suggests...
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
__.
c. Commentary (CM): Elaborate; continue to EXPLAIN your thoughts about the concrete
detail you provided above.
Commentary Sentence Starters: This clearly demonstrates This proves In other
words
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_.
d. Concluding Sentence: Wrap up what youve said in the paragraph, without repeating
anything.
Concluding Sentence Starters: As can be seen It is clear that Clearly it is true
that Obviously
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.
CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH
Reword (dont repeat) thesis: Remind your reader about what youve proven in your essay.
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Call to action/End with a bang!: Leave the reader with a strong call to action as a final point.
What should the reader be convinced to do or believe after reading your essay?
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Reminder Checklist: Make sure you
Include a greeting (Dear Dr. Wolf,) under the title and closing (Sincerely,) at the end, since
this is a letter.
Indent each paragraph.
Include your rubric and this outline with your final draft on the due date.
Type and double-space your essay, use size 12 regular font, left-align, use one inch
margins.
Include a correct MLA heading (See example below.).

Gallagher
1

Your last name

and page
number belong
in the top right
corner of every
page (right
align this,