GENERAL 5-PARAGRAPH ESSAY OUTLINE

I. Introduction
a. Attention-getter (general facts, statistics, rhetorical questions, description,
etc.)
b. Background information (narrow down central idea)
c. Thesis statement (a claim/assertion that includes a developmental plan
outlining your intended argument; list your three main points)

II. Body Paragraph #1

a. Topic Sentence (major assertion/point)
b. Supporting details (quotes, description, paraphrasing, explanation, etc.)

III. Body Paragraph #2

a. Topic Sentence (major assertion/point)
b. Supporting details (quotes, description, paraphrasing, explanation, etc.)

IV. Body Paragraph #3

a. Topic Sentence (major assertion/point)
b. Supporting details (quotes, description, paraphrasing, explanation, etc.)

V. Conclusion
a. Restate thesis (rephrase main idea)
b. Closing thoughts (So what? summary of main points, call to action,
quotation, question, reference back to introduction, future)

Source: http://owl.tulsacc.edu/Handouts/5%20Paragraph%20Essay%20Outline.pdf

Read the following essay sample with explanations:

 The Hazards of Moviegoing
By John Langan
From College Writing Skills with Readings
Introductory I am a movie fanatic. When friends want to know what picture
paragraph won the Oscar in 1980 or who played the police chief in Jaws,
(Thesis) they ask me. My friends, though, have stopped asking me if I
want to go out to the movies. The problems in getting to the
theater, the theater itself, and the behavior of some co-viewers
are all reasons why I often wait for a movie to show up on TV.
First First of all, just getting to the theater presents difficulties.
supporting Leaving a home equipped with a TV and a video recorder is
paragraph not an attractive idea on a humid, cold, or rainy night. Even if
the weather cooperates, there is still a thirty-minute drive to
the theater down a congested highway, followed by the hassle
of looking for a parking space. And then there are the lines.
After hooking yourself to the end of a human chain, you worry
about whether there will be enough tickets, whether you will
get seats together, and whether many people will sneak into
the line ahead of you.
Second Once you have made it to the box office and gotten your
supporting tickets, you are confronted with the problems of the theater
paragraph itself. If you are in one of the run-down older theaters, you
must adjust to the specific unpleasant smell of seldom-cleaned
carpets. Escaped springs lurk in the faded plush or cracked
leather seats, and half the seats you sit in seem loose or tilted
so that you sit at a strange angle. The newer twin theaters in
malls offer their own problems. Sitting in an area only one-
quarter the size of a regular theater, moviegoers often have to
put up with the sound of the movie next door. This is especially
annoying when the other movie involves racing cars or a
karate war and you are trying to enjoy a quiet love story.
Besides, whether the theater is old or new, it will have floors
that seem to be coated with rubber cement. By the end of a
movie, shoes almost have to be peeled off the floor because
they have become sealed to a deadly compound of spilled soda,
hardening bubble gum, and crushed candy.
Third Some of the other spectators are even more of a problem than
supporting the theater itself. Little kids race up and down the aisles,
paragraph usually in giggling packs. Teenagers try to impress their
friends by talking back to the screen, whistling, and making
what they consider to be hilarious noises. Adults act as if they
were at home in their own living rooms and comment loudly
on the ages of the stars or why movies are not as good
 anymore. Moreover, people of all ages crinkle candy wrappers,
stick gum on their seats, and drop popcorn tubs or cups of
crushed ice and soda on the floor. They also cough and burp,
squirm endlessly in their seats, file out for repeated trips to the
rest rooms or concession stand, and elbow you out of the
armrest on either side of your seat.
Concluding After arriving home from the movies one night, I decided that
paragraph I was not going to be a moviegoer anymore. I was tired of the
problems involved in getting to the movies and dealing with
the theater itself and some of the other people watching it. The
next day I arranged to have cable TV service installed in my
home. I may now see movies a bit later than other people, but I
will be more relaxed watching box office hits in the comfort of
my own living room.

You might find it easier to plan your writing if you use an outline such as
the following:

Outline for a Five-Paragraph Essay

Title: ____________________

I. Introduction
A. Introductory statement
B. Thesis statement: ____________________

II. Body
A. First Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence):
____________________
1. ____________________
2. ____________________
3. ____________________
B. Second Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence):
____________________
1. ____________________
2. ____________________
3. ____________________

A. Third Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence):

____________________
1. ____________________
 2. ____________________
3. ____________________
III. Conclusion
A. Closing statement
B. Restate thesis: ____________________

Sample Outline for The Hazards of Movie going Five-Paragraph Essay

Title: The Hazards of Movie going

I. Introduction
A. Introductory statement
B. Thesis statement: I like watching movies but
I prefer watching them at home.

II. Body
A. First Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): just
getting to the theater presents difficulties
1. bad weather
2. long drive and limited parking space
3. long waiting to buy ticket
B. Second Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence):
facing the problems of the theater itself
1. old theaters’ problems such as smelly
carpet, worn-out seat, etc
2. new theaters’ problems such as
smaller size, noise from next movie
theater, etc
3. both floors will be rubber-like dirty at
the end of the movie

A. Third Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence):

Some of the other viewers are annoying
1. bad behavior such as running, loud
talking, etc
2. human noise and disturbance
III. Conclusion
A. Closing statement
B. Restate thesis: I prefer to watch movies at
home where it is comfortable, clean and safe.
Source: http://www.gallaudet.edu/tip/english_center/writing/essays/5-
paragraph_essay_and_outline_the_hazards_of_moviegoing.html

Study the following models. They are other samples of a five-paragraph

essay.
I. „A dog is man’s best friend.” That common saying may contain some
truth, but dogs are not the only animal friend whose companionship people
enjoy. For many people, a cat is their best friend. Despite what dog lovers may
believe, cats make excellent housepets as they are good companions, they
are civilized members of the household, and they are easy to care for.
In the first place, people enjoy the companionship of cats. Many cats are
affectionate. They will snuggle up and ask to be petted, or scratched under the
chin. Who can resist a purring cat? If they are not necessarily affectionate, cats
are generally quite playful. They love to chase balls and feathers, or just about
anything dangling from a string. They especially enjoy playing when their
owners are participating in the game. Contrary to popular opinion, cats can be
trained. Using rewards and punishments, just like with a dog, a cat can be
trained to avoid unwanted behavior or perform tricks. Cats will even fetch!
In the second place, cats are civilized members of the household. Unlike
dogs, cats do not bark or make other loud noises. Most cats do not even meow
very often. They generally lead a quiet existence. Cats also do not have
"accidents" very often Mother cats train their kittens to use the litter box, and
most cats will use it without fail from that time on. Even stray cats usually
understand the concept when shown the box and will use it regularly. Cats do
have claws, and owners must make provision for this. A tall scratching post in a
favorite cat area of the house will often keep the cat content to leave the
furniture alone. As a last resort, of course, cats can be declawed.
Lastly, one of the most attractive features of cats as housepets is their ease
of care. Cats do not have to be walked. They get plenty of exercise in the house
as they play, and they do their business in the litter box. Cleaning a litter box is a
quick, painless procedure. Cats also take care of their own grooming. Bathing a
cat is almost never necessary because under ordinary circumstances cats clean
themselves. Cats are more particular about personal cleanliness than people are.
In addition, cats can be left home alone for a few hours without fear. Unlike
some pets, most cats will not destroy the furnishings when left alone. They are
content to go about their usual activities until their owners return.
Cats are low maintenance, civilized companions. People who have small
living quarters or less time for pet care should appreciate these characteristics of
cats. However, many people who have plenty of space and time still opt to have
a cat because they love the cat personality. In many ways, cats are the ideal
housepet.

Source: http://lklivingston.tripod.com/essay/sample.html

II. When many people hear the word Africa, they picture steaming jungles
and gorillas. Hollywood films have shrunk the public image of this immense,
varied continent into a small segment of its actual diversity. To have a more
accurate picture of the whole continent, however, one should remember that
there are, roughly, three Africas, each with its distinct climate and terrain and
with a style of life suited to the environment. The continent can be divided into
the northern desert areas, the southeastern grasslands, and the tropical jungles to
the southwest.
The northern regions have the environment and living patterns of the
desert. Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco have hot, dry climates with very
little land suited to farming. Therefore, the population tends to be clustered into
cities along rivers or the seacoast or into smaller settlements near oases. For
thousands of years, people have lived in this vast region, subsisting partly on
what crops and animals they could raise and partly on trade with Europe.
The southeastern grasslands provide a better environment for animal life
and for some kinds of crops. Many wild animals inhabit the plains in this
region--elephants, giraffes, rhinoceros, antelopes, zebras, and lions. The people
in this area have long been expert cattle raisers and hunters. Tea, coffee, cotton,
cashew nuts, and tobacco are some of the main products grown in this region.
Fishing also provides some food and income for people along the coast. The
population here is less concentrated in cities and towns than in the north, but
tends to be denser in areas where adequate rainfall and fertile soil make farming
possible.
West Africa is the region closest to the Hollywood image of mysterious
jungles. As in the other two regions, the way people subsist depends upon their
environment. This does not mean that most of the people live in grass huts in the
jungle. Such nations as Nigeria have become highly modernized by income from
oil, timber, and minerals. Most of the western countries have some farming that
provides food and income; sugar cane, coffee, and tobacco are the important
cash crops, while bananas, rice, and corn are raised for food. Fishing in the
rivers and along the coast also accounts for food and income, and precious
stones, especially diamonds, enhance the economy of Angola and the Ivory
Coast.
Even a superficial look at the major regions of Africa shows that it is a
varied continent with several environments. Although most of the continent is
tropical in its range of temperature, the climate ranges from deserts to rain
forests. Similarly, human life-styles vary from the simplest rural villages to
industrial cities, both new and ancient. Contrary to the myth, however, jungle
life makes up only a very small portion of the whole of Africa.

Source: http://www.taftcollege.edu/instruct/LiberalArts/OWL/sampfive.htm

Task. Write a five-paragraph essay on traditions, giving your opinion and

supporting it with arguments, starting from the conclusion of an article you
have recently read according to which „traditions are crucial for the
identity of any group of people but, in a globalized world, only strong
peoples get to preserve their traditions”. Use 250-300 words.