Paragraph Structure for Persuasive Writing

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What is a paragraph?

Teachers use many different acronyms or metaphors to get you guys to see that writing is ordered in a particular way. Paragraphs are like hamburgers or Lego; they are built, block by block, filling by filling.

Most important things to know:

1. Paragraphs are always about one topic at a time.
2. The topic is stated in the Topic Sentence.
3. Whatever else that is in a paragraph must be supporting that topic.

A list of facts or events is not a paragraph.

There are no rules about how short or long a paragraph must be, except that overly long paragraphs are hard to read.

The main metaphors or acronyms used are:

TSL	TEEL	Hamburger Paragraphs
Topic Sentence	Topic Sentence	Bun
Supporting Sentence	Elaborating, Evidence, and Examples sentences	Filling
Concluding/Linking Sentence	Linking Sentences	Bun