CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2

After making big changes to improve your process essay, 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 Command Sentences

Commands usually start with verbs.

Clean the cage. Change the bedding. Fill the bottle.

What about a subject? Commands have implied subjects: you.

(You) Clean the cage. (You) Change the bedding. (You) Fill the bottle.

Watch the video "Command Sentences."

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By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Revising Process Essays

Once you finish a first draft of your process essay, set it aside for awhile. When you return to it, you can see it anew. That's what revising means—seeing your work with new eyes. When you revise, you look at your essay from your reader's perspective to make sure you have included all of the important ideas and placed them in the best structure. These activities will help you revise.

Revising to Elaborate Details

To explain something, you need to elaborate. When you elaborate, you use different types of details to explain an idea.

Step 2: Get a cage

Next, you need to get a cage for your hamster.

Detail 1: Metal cages

Metal cages let the air flow through.

Detail 2: Plastic cages

Plastic cages can have all kinds of tubes for exercise.

Detail 3: Cage features

You need a water bottle, food dish, and wheel for running.

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Writing a Process Essay

Once you finish prewriting, you are ready to create the first draft of your ideas. These writing activities will help you create a strong beginning, middle, and ending for your process essay. You'll also read another student's essay to see how all of the parts came together.

Writing the Beginning Paragraph

Write your beginning paragraph.

Write your lead sentence and move to your focus statement.

Lead Sentence

Detail Sentences

Focus Statement

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026

Prewriting for Process Essays

Prewriting is your first step in writing a process essay. These prewriting activities will help you select a topic to write about, create a focus statement, and gather and organize your details before you begin a first draft.

Prewriting to Focus Your Ideas

Plan your writing.

Use this sheet to plan your process essay.

List three things that you know how to do really well.
Which of these three processes would you like to explain in an essay?
What tools and materials do you need for this process?
What steps would you list for doing this process?
What special thought or feeling do you have about this process?

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2