Persuasive Paragraph

By Anonymous (not verified), 16 March, 2026

Don't Burn Leaves

This third-grade model focuses on a local air-quality problem.
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Dogs Stay Home!

This third-grade persuasive paragraph focuses on a problem with neighborhood pets.
By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Reading a Persuasive Paragraph and Essay

Reading a Persuasive Paragraph and Essay

Before you write your own essay, you can read a persuasive paragraph and essay that others wrote. As you read, think about how the writers put ideas together and how you might support an opinion in your essay.

Reading a Persuasive Paragraph

A persuasive paragraph has three main parts. The topic sentence states the opinion. The body sentences support the opinion with reasons. The ending sentence restates or emphasizes the opinion.

Sample Paragraph

Listen to "Overcrowded Schools"

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Overcrowded Schools

Topic Sentence:
Opinion Overcrowding is one of the biggest problems facing today's schools. To start, crowded hallways lead to tardiness and wasted class time. Students struggle to get from class to class when they have to dodge their way through crowded hallways. And when students are late, teachers lose out on time for teaching. Body Sentences Cafeterias are too crowded, too. Lunch lines are so long that some students have to make the choice between eating or being late for class. Going to class hungry or anxious won't put any student in the right mind to learn. Finally, crowded classrooms make it difficult for teachers to manage teaching and discipline. Meanwhile, students lose out on individual attention when teachers have to deal with so many other students. Ending Sentence Until schools solve the overcrowding problem, students and teachers will continue to suffer.

Respond to the paragraph.

Answer these questions about the paragraph.

  1. What opinion does the writer develop?
  2. What three reasons does she give to support the opinion?
By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Editing and Publishing Paragraphs

Editing Paragraphs

After making big changes to improve a paragraph, you need to make little changes (editing) to correct any remaining errors. You'll look for problems with sentences, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, usage, and spelling. The following activities will help you edit your writing.

Editing for Sentences

Every sentence needs a subject and a verb. The subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about. The verb tells something about the subject.

Editing Sentences

If a group of words does not have a subject or a verb, it is a fragment.

Editing Sentences

To fix a fragment, add the part that is missing—subject, verb, or both.

Editing Sentences
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Revising Paragraphs

Revising Paragraphs

Once you draft a paragraph, take a break and come back to it to see it freshly. When you revise, you check your writing for its ideas and structure. These activities will help you revise.

Revising for Structure

Your first job in revising is to check the overall structure of your paragraph. Choose one of the paragraphs you have written and check each part below.

Check your topic sentence or opinion statement.

Answer these questions about your first sentence. Apply any changes that will improve your first sentence.

  1. How could my first sentence more clearly identify my topic?
  2. How could I capture my reader’s attention in the first sentence?

Check your body sentences.

Answer these questions about your body sentences. Apply any changes that will improve them.

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Understanding Persuasive Paragraphs

Understanding Persuasive Paragraphs

In a persuasive paragraph, you give your opinion on a subject and try to get your reader to agree with you. To do this, you need to give facts and other reasons to support your opinion. Otherwise, you won’t persuade your readers.

Read a persuasive paragraph.

Note the opinion that the writer is presenting and supporting. Pay special attention to the reasons the writer gives for the opinion.

Listen to "Perfect Tree House Place"

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Opinion Statement Kids need a place to call their own, and a tree house is the perfect place. For instance, a tree house gives my friends and me a chance to get away from the pressures of school, homework, and little brothers or sisters. We can just hang out and be ourselves. Body Sentences We can also decorate our tree house any way we want. In addition, a tree house is a good place for thinking, playing music, looking at the sky, or just being with friends. Reasons Sure, if we didn’t have this kind of place, we’d find other ways to keep busy. We’d go to the mall, text our friends, play video games, or just watch TV. Ending Sentence But doesn’t a tree house sound like a better place for kids to spend their time?

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Writing Strong Beginnings and Endings

Writing Strong Beginnings and Endings

An effective paragraph begins with a clear topic sentence and ends with a strong closing point. These activities will help you practice writing these important parts.

Writing Topic Sentences

The topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is about. It names the topic and gives a thought or feeling about it. Most of the time, it is the first sentence of the paragraph.

Sample Topic Sentence

The new indoor skateboard park challenges even the best skateboarders.

  • Specific topic: The new indoor skateboard park
  • Thought or feeling: Challenges even the best skateboarders

Read topic sentences.

Write the topic and thought or feeling for each sentence.

  1. My brother’s room is the messiest room on the planet.

    Topic:

    Thought or feeling:

  2. Keeping a well-organized backpack is one of the keys to a good day at school.

    Topic:

    Thought or feeling:

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Warm-Up for Writing Paragraphs

Warm-Up for Writing Paragraphs

Paragraphs are the building blocks of great writing. This unit will show you how to create paragraphs for three different purposes: to tell a story, to explain a topic, and to influence readers.

What Is a Paragraph?

Writing Paragraphs
© Thoughtful Learning 2016

Listen to "What Is a Paragraph?"

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A paragraph is a group of sentences about one topic. Usually, the first sentence names the topic, and the other sentences give more details about it. In a well-written paragraph, sentences follow a clear order so that readers can quickly understand the topic.

Think of a paragraph as a telescope: It focuses on one specific idea and magnifies it so that people can see it more clearly.

Learning to write good paragraphs is essential to becoming a good writer. This unit will give you a chance to improve your paragraph-writing skills.

Teaching Tip

Persuasive Paragraph