GIVING BAINLIST This is a practice assignment. In this writing assignment you will write a personal essay on the topic of your choosing.
Your Assignment
Write a personal essay on the topic of your choice.
Your essay should be at least five paragraphs long. It should use the basic essay structure of an introduction paragraph, a body with at least three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph.
Your introduction paragraph should include a hook to grab your reader's attention and a thesis statement. Everything in your essay should function to support your thesis.
The supporting paragraphs should all include a topic sentence, at least three supporting sentences, and a clincher sentence that restates your topic sentence.
Your concluding paragraph should wrap up your essay and include a clincher sentence that restates the thesis statement in different words. Your essay should be well crafted and written in a 12-point font with one-inch page margins.
Choose a topic that is interesting to you and will be interesting to your reader, too.

Note: Click "Writing Help" for ideas on choosing a document to use for your paraphrase.
Tips for Success
Brainstorming, Prewriting, and Outlining
Before you try to write your essay, brainstorm ideas to organize your thoughts. You may also want to prewrite using listing or clustering.

Then write a simple, informal outline of your essay with a thesis statement, three supporting points, and a clincher.
Writing a Personal Essay
Begin with a hook to grab your reader's interest.
End your introduction paragraph with a thesis statement that introduces the topic your essay will be about.
Your thesis statement should be about something you think, experience, believe, or feel.
After the introduction paragraph, follow with a body that includes at least three supporting paragraphs. All of your supporting paragraphs should develop the point of your thesis.
Follow the body of your essay with a conclusion paragraph.
Your conclusion paragraph should wrap up your essay and include a clincher sentence that restates the thesis in new words.
Be sure to include transitions to guide your reader from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph.
Be sure to write in complete sentences.
Be sure to use proper punctuation, grammar, and spelling.
Global Review
Does everything in your essay advance the point in your thesis statement?
Are there sentences that should be deleted or added?
Is the essay in the best order possible?
Does the essay use the basic five-paragraph format (introduction, body, and conclusion)?
Local Review
Did you check your essay to ensure correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar?