Independent Essay

UNIT 9: pp. 658

Independent Essay
30 minutes 300 words Clear point of view Supportive evidence

Organized, concise, and developed

Demonstrate a command of English

However
Rough first draft Inevitable spelling/grammar errors Not a literary masterpiece

Some famous athletes and entertainers earn millions of dollars every year. Do you think these people deserve such high salaries? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

Position/Opinion

Reason 1

Reason 2

Specific Example 1

Specific Example 2

Yes, celebrities deserve millions

Use their fame and fortune for good

Work hard

Angelina Jolie and refugees

David Beckham and his childhood

Thesis
Clearly state your opinion/position (i.e. yes/no,

agree/disagree, advantages/disadvantages, etc.)

Preview your reasons or examples

Thesis
In my opinion, celebrities do deserve millions of dollars every year because of two reasons.

NOT
Some people do not think celebrities deserve high salaries. Some people believe they do. I agree with that.

Reason
The first sentence of your body paragraph Should directly support your thesis Independent of your other reason Clear

Reason 1
Firstly, celebrities often use their star power to draw money and attention to noble causes.

NOT There are many people who do not give money to charities.

Reason 2
Secondly, many celebrities have dedicated their whole lives to their craft.

NOT Doctors and teachers sometimes work less than celebrities.

Specific Example
Comes after your reason Should directly support your reason Needs to be specific, not general Can be hypothetical

Can be from person experiences, movies, books,

history, etc.

Specific Example 1
For example, Angelina Jolie donates time and money to helping refugees in poor countries.

NOT Actresses donate money to good causes.

Specific Example 2
For example, David Beckham spent most of his childhood practicing soccer so he could be a professional someday.

NOT Celebrities dedicate a lot of hours to work.

Position/Opinion

Reason 1

Reason 2

Specific Example 1

Specific Example 2

Yes, celebrities deserve millions

Use their fame and fortune for good

Work hard

Angelina Jolie and refugees

David Beckham and his childhood

1.

Five-Sentence Essay Outline In my opinion, celebrities do deserve millions of

dollars every year because of two reasons. draw money and attention to noble causes.

2. Firstly, celebrities often use their star power to

3. For example, Angelina Jolie donates time and

money to helping refugees in poor countries.

4. Secondly, many celebrities have dedicated their

whole lives to their craft.

5. For example, David Beckham spent most of his

childhood practicing soccer so he could be a professional someday.

1.

1
2 3 4 5

2.

3.

4.

5.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

Always telling the truth is the most important consideration in any relationship. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.