The 8 Sentence Paragraph
Basics for
Response-to-Literature
Essays
The Prompt
Before writing anything, know your
assignment— READ THE PROMPT!
What are you being asked to do?
Response-to-Literature
Writing= writing that
discusses what is of value
in a work of literature.
Literary Response requires a
careful, critical look at the
reading.
Step 1: Topic SENTENCE
• A Topic Sentence (TS) is the top
bun of a hamburger.
• TS = first sentence of the paragraph.
It shows the main idea.
• Usually a mildly controversial
statement--something that you have to
prove.
• It does not describe an event that occurs in the
text.
Example Topic Sentence (TS)
1) In the fairy tale “The
Three Little Pigs,” the third
pig is very wise.
Step 2: CONCRETE DETAILS
(2 Sentences)
• Concrete Details
(CD) are the meat of
the hamburger.
• CDs = Support for
your TS. (facts, quotes,
examples, etc. from text)
• CDs can’t be argued with—a CD is
evidence that supports your point!
Example Concrete Details
(2 CDs)
2) For example, he remembers his
mother’s warning about the
dangers of wolves. Consequently,
he builds his house out of sturdy
brick.
Step 3: COMMENTARY
(3 Sentences)
• Commentary Sentences
(CM) are the “extras”
on the hamburger—the
tomato, cheese, lettuce,
mayo—they make it
delicious!
• CMs = your analysis, interpretation,
explanation, or insight into how the text
proves your claim in your topic sentence.
Example Commentary
Sentences (3 CMs)
3) Listening to the wisdom of his elders
leads to the choice of brick for building his
house, which the wolf is unable to blow
down. 4) This shows that the third pig is
smarter than his brothers. 5) They ignored
the warning, in order to save time, and
they were both eaten by the wolf.
Step 4: CONCLUDING
SENTENCE (2 Sentences)
• The concluding
sentences (CS) are the
bottom bun of the
hamburger.
• The CSs wrap up the paragraph and transition
into the following.
•They rephrase the TS so we come back full
“circle” to the beginning.
•They also link to the TS of the next paragraph
Example Concluding Sentences
(2 CSs)
5) Therefore, the third pig
outsmarts not only his brothers
but the “big, bad” wolf as well.
Additionally, this is apparent in
his work ethic.
TS, CD, CM, CS—Now What?
CHUNKING !!!
A combination of aCD and the CMs
that explain it is called a CHUNK.
For a literary response writing, we use a
combination (or “ratio”) of 2:3.
That means…
for every 2 CD sentences…
you will have 3 CMs.
One Chunk: 2 CD + 3 CM
For example, he remembers his mother’s
warning about the dangers of wolves.
Consequently, he builds his house out of
sturdy brick. Listening to the wisdom of his
elders leads to the choice of brick for
building his house, which the wolf is unable
to blow down. This shows that the third pig
is smarter than his brothers. They ignored
the warning, in order to save time, and they
were both eaten by the wolf.
One-Chunk Body Paragraph
•
•
•
•
Sentence #1 - TS – States your claim/opinion
Sentence #2-3 – CD - starts with “For example”
Sentence #4 – CM - (“This shows that...”)
Sentence #5-6 – CM - (“This also show that..”
“This is because...”
“This is important because...”)
• Sentence#7-8 – CS – Concluding/Transition Sentence
– Sums it up and ties back to the
thesis
(“As a result...”)
Step 6: A Whole Paragraph
In the fairy tale “The Three Little Pigs,” the third
pig is very wise. For example, he remembers his
mother’s warning about the dangers of wolves.
Consequently, he builds his house out of sturdy brick.
Listening to the wisdom of his elders leads to the choice
of brick for building his house, which the wolf is unable
to blow down. This shows that the third pig is smarter
than his brothers. They ignored the warning, in order to
save time, and they were both eaten by the wolf.
Therefore, the third pig outsmarts not only his brothers
but the “big, bad” wolf as well. Additionally, this is
apparent in his work ethic.
Does It Flow?
Now you know how to write
a one- chunk paragraph…
LET’S ADD MORE
CHUNKS!
Two Chunk Paragraph
• Has the Thesis/Topic
Sentence (TS) at the
beginning and a
Concluding/ Circle
Sentence at the end.
• Includes two CD, CM,
CM, structures (chunks)
with a transition between.
THREE Chunk Paragraph
(The 11 Sentence Paragraph)
• Has the Thesis/Topic
Sentence (TS) at the
beginning and a
Concluding/ Circle
Sentence at the end.
• Includes two CD, CM,
CM, structures (chunks)
with a transition between.
Transitions
• A good paragraph will also use transition
words in between the chunks.
• These are words or phrases that help
readers connect your ideas.
Example Transitions:
For example,
In summary,
Hence,
For instance,
Because of this,
Therefore,
Consequently,
As a result,
Thus,
NOW
YOU
DO IT!!
PROMPT
Consider one of the following pieces: “The Plot Against
People” OR “And of Clay We Are Created”
“How does the author’s PURPOSE and the
author’s PERSPECTIVE affect the TONE
of the selection? PURPOSE: inform * entertain * express * persuade
PERSPECTIVE: author’s experiences * values * beliefs
TONE: author’s attitude toward his subject
. Your TOPIC SENTENCE is the answer to the
prompt and what your paragraph must PROVE:
Russell Baker’s tragic past and his desire to
entertain create a tone of mocking sarcasm in
“The Plot Against People.
Your TOPIC SENTENCE answers ALL
parts of the prompt and it’s what your
entire paragraph must PROVE.
So my answer to the question in the prompt might
be…
perspective
purpose
Russell Baker’s tragic past, and his desire
to entertain create a tone of mocking sarcasm
in “The Plot Against People.
tone
…And now my CONCRETE DETAILS must be examples
from the text where Baker is mocking man’s tendency to
stress out over the little things:
his subject
1.) because he is trying to be funny/entertaining (purpose)
(AND)
2.) because his tragic life experiences made him realize
the true unimportance of life’s little annoyances. (perspective)
CONCRETE DETAILS to PROVE my TOPIC SENTENCE:
#1 The one “goal of all inanimate objects is to resist man and ultimately
defeat him.” (purpose)
#2 Things that get lost have a “secret method of locomotion” that they can
hide whenever a “human eye falls upon them.” (purpose)
#3 That things that don’t work have “given man the only peace he receives
from inanimate objects” and have therefore “attained the highest state
possible for an inanimate object.” (perspective)
…Then add 2 sentences of COMMENTARY for each detail
that explains how that detail proves a part of your topic
sentence:
CONCRETE DETAILS to PROVE my TOPIC SENTENCE:
#1 For example, Baker states that the one “goal of all inanimate objects is
to resist man and ultimately defeat him.” (purpose)
TWO SENTENCES OF COMMENTARY:
He is speaking as if inanimate objects can think and reason and actually
have joined together to plot mankind’s destruction. The absurdity of this
statement makes it funny and causes the reader to perhaps laugh at his or
her own experiences with such objects.
CONCRETE DETAILS to PROVE my TOPIC
SENTENCE:
#2 In addition, Baker speculates that perhaps things that get lost have
a “secret method of locomotion” that they can conceal whenever a
“human eye falls upon them.” (purpose)
TWO SENTENCES OF COMMENTARY:
The mental image of a pair of pliers suddenly sprouting arms and
legs when we can’t see them is hilarious. This is, of course, just plain
silly and quite obviously meant to get a laugh from the reader.
CONCRETE DETAILS to PROVE my TOPIC
SENTENCE:
#3 Finally, Baker feels those things that don’t work have “given man
the only peace he receives from inanimate objects” and have
therefore “attained the highest state possible for an inanimate object.”
(perspective)
TWO SENTENCES OF COMMENTARY:
Baker experiencing the tragedy of losing his father, and having to
leave behind his sister cause him to see the unimportance of the need
to control these objects. He understands that peace can only come
from placing no expectations on the areas of ones life that one cannot
control.
EXAMPLE 11 SENTENCE PARAGRAPH
Russell Baker’s tragic past, and his desire to entertain create a
tone of mocking sarcasm in “The Plot Against People. For example, CD
Baker states that the one “goal of all inanimate objects is to resist man
and ultimately defeat him.” He is speaking as if inanimate objects can
think and reason and actually have joined together to plot mankind’s CM
destruction. The absurdity of this statement makes it funny and
causes the reader to perhaps laugh at his or her own experiences with
such objects. In addition, Baker speculates that perhaps things that
get lost have a “secret method of locomotion” that they can conceal
whenever a “human eye falls upon them.” The mental image of a pair
of pliers suddenly sprouting arms and legs when we can’t see them is CM
hilarious. This is, of course, just plain silly and quite obviously meant
to get a laugh from the reader. Finally, Baker feels those things that
don’t work have “given man the only peace he receives from CD
inanimate objects” and have therefore “attained the highest state
possible for an inanimate object.” Baker experiencing the tragedy of
losing his father, and having to leave behind his sister cause him to see
the unimportance of the need to control these objects. He CM
understands that peace can only come from placing no expectations
on the areas of ones life that one cannot control. In conclusion,
Baker’s past and his sense of humor go hand in hand to put a CS
sarcastic spin on the importance of lifes little nuisences.
TS
CM
CD
CM
CM