Writing well-developed paragraphs
  What is Power Writing?

Power writing can be used with all forms of expository, persuasive, and personal narrative writing.

Expository - An expository essay requires the writer to explain, interpret, or describe something based upon background experiences or information provided in the prompt.

Persuasive - A persuasive essay requires the writer to take a position on a subject and develop one side of an argument. The writer's goal is to persuade the reader to have the same belief or share the same opinion.

Personal Narrative - Narrative writing requires the writer to tell a story.

What do Power 1, 2, and 3 mean?

Power 1 - Power one is red in color and it signifies the main idea or theme of the paper.

Power 2 - Power two is blue and it represents general supporting details to the main idea of the essay.

Power 3 - Power three is green and it elaborates even more specifically about the supporting details of the essay.

What is a Prompt?

A prompt is the general topic of your writing assignment.

Example Prompt for a persuasive essay:

The United States has had television for many years. There are those political leaders who want to remove televisions from every home in the country. You have a chance to try and persuade your representative to fight against this movement. Write a five paragraph essay persuading your elected official to either support or fight against it. Use specific details to support your view.

>Power Writing Terms:

Signal words - words that lead off power two sentences : example: first, above all, etc...

Conclusion signal - words that lead off the conclusion paragraph: example: to conclude, etc...

Lead & Hook - is the opening sentence or two in your theme in which you catch your reader's interest and introduce your topic.

Basic Paragraph Structure

1 Main Idea
2 Supporting Idea
3 Elaborating Details
3 Elaborating Details
2 Supporting Idea
3 Elaborating Details
3 Elaborating Details
Closing Sentence

Use several Transition Words.
Remember periods, capital letters, and commas.
Use Terminal Words in the Closing.

Often a writer will begin a Power (2) - Supporting Idea sentence with a Transition Word.

Power (2) Transition Words
one is	first	moreover
another is	second	furthermore
the other is	third	above all
also	besides	in addition to
next	then	to begin with
secondly

 

Power (3) Transition Words
specifically	for example	to explain
for instance	in other words	to describe
restated	translated	actually
by the way	for instance	however
in the first place	meanwhile	on the other hand
yet	afterward	for example
furthermore	in the meantime	never the less
similarly	consequently	otherwise
as a matter of fact	better yet

*Terminal Words
in conclusion	to sum up	in summary
to conclude	as a result	for these reasons
as one can see	in short	I conclude that
finally	A transition word is usually followed by a comma.