5.
The Essay Template for any
Prompt
Now that you've learned what constitutes a perfect essay and the
persuasive elements you'll be looking for, this chapter will introduce a
repeatable framework that will make essay writing easy. After all, an essay is
more than just analysis; there needs to be an underlying structure that
organizes it. This is THE template that my students have used to get perfect
scores. It may seem complicated and hard to memorize at first, but if you
actually practice it a few times, you'll see how easy it is to produce amazing
essays.
As you go through the template, notice the transitions and complex
sentences that have been integrated by design. They ensure that your essay is
built on a solid foundation.
Introduction
The idea that Main argument of the passage has its roots in Noun but the
underlying reasons are often overlooked.
In Title of passage, author Author of passage puts forth a detailed argument
for Noun.
In doing so, he/she employs a variety of rhetorical elements to persuade the
reader, including Persuasive element 1, Persuasive element 2, and Persuasive
element 3.
Body Paragraph 1
Author of passage's deft use of Persuasive element 1 begins with his/her
discussion of Noun.
Your analysis using the Narrate-Explain-Reiterate Pattern (covered in the next
chapter)
(6+ sentences)
Although Persuasive element 1 may come off as hyperbole/pandering/overly
dramatic, Your rebuttal (reinforce why it's effective).
Body Paragraph 2
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Just as persuasive as his/her use of Persuasive element 1 is Author of
passage's Persuasive element 2.
Your analysis using the Narrate-Explain-Reiterate Pattern (covered in the next
chapter)
6+ sentences
Without Persuasive element 2, Author of passage's message would lose Noun.
Body Paragraph 3
Lastly, Author of passage bolsters his argument by using Persuasive element
3.
Your analysis using the Narrate-Explain-Reiterate Pattern (covered in the next
chapter)
6+ sentences
Conclusion
In summary, Author of passage—using Persuasive element 1, Persuasive
element 2, and Persuasive element 3—--effectively makes the case that Main
argument of the passage.
It's his/her use of persuasive elements that not only inform the reader of the
problem but also spur the reader into action.
At this point, you're probably very confused and overwhelmed. Don't
worry! Using my very own essay, I'll illustrate exactly how this template is
used. First, I'm going to be honest—I'm not a naturally talented writer. I was a
solid B student in most of my high school English classes. But by using the
template above, I was able get a 21/24 on the May 2016 essay with a few
minutes to spare (I'll share the mistakes I made in a later chapter). The
following is the typed-up, word-for-word version of my essay. See Appendix
A for a copy of the original hand-written version.
Even though I can't reproduce the passage here (copyright issues), you
should be able to spot each component of the template in this essay. Some
components are a little out of order, but it's all there. If you'd like to read the
passage, search the Internet for "Viewpoint: Air-Conditioning Will Be the
End of Us" by Eric Klinenberg.
The idea that we should reduce our dependency on fossil fuels has its
roots in environmentalism but its underlying reasons are often overlooked. In
"Viewpoint: Air-Conditioning Will Be The End of Us," author Eric
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Klinenberg puts forth a detailed argument that society as a whole must reduce
its consumption of air-conditioning to thwart climate change. In doing so, he
employs a variety of literary elements and supporting examples, including
statistics, concessions, and word choice.
Klinenberg's deft use of statistics begins with his discussion of air-
conditioning use in America in paragraph one. He writes, "Today Americans
use twice as much energy for air-conditioning as we did 20 years ago," further
noting that this is "more than the rest of the world's nations combined." This
statistic grounds his argument in reality, so that even skeptical readers will not
be able to dismiss him so easily. The juxtaposition of America's energy
consumption with not only its past but also the rest of the world indicates the
intensity of the problem. The implication is that we have drastically increased
air-conditioning useage beyond what is reasonable. By using these particular
statistics, Klinenberg sounds the alarm on our energy use, signalling to
readers just how rampant and excessive their habits of consumption may be.
Later, in paragraph 5, Klinenberg brings up yet another statistic—sales of air
conditioners rose 20% in India and China last year. Here, he makes it explicit
that air-conditioning is not a problem distinct to America, but a global one.
Just as persuasive as Klinenberg's use of statistics is his relatability and
acknowledgement of the other side. In paragraph 2 and 3, he identifies with
those who may be hesitant to accept his argument: "I'm hardly against air-
conditioning," he asserts. Indeed, he continues to enumerate may advantages
of air-conditioning, which include saving "the lives of old, sick and frail
people" and enhancing "productivity in offices." By granting these
concessions, Klinenberg establishes credibility as someone who has thought
through his point of view. Readers are more likely to perceive him not as an
extreme environmentalist hell-bent on cutting off the luxuries of AC but as
someone who realizes moderate air-conditioning has its place. Therefore, they
are likely to be more receptive to his stance, knowing that their potential
objections have been heard. Klinenberg smartly frames himself as an
advocate of "public health programs," further creating trust with his audience
by putting the greater good first.
Lastly, Klinenberg bolsters his argument with his specific word choice. In
paragraph 3, he characterizes the damage caused by air-conditioners as
"irreversible." In paragraph 4, he portrays stores in New York City as
"pumping arctic air" while "burning through fossil fuels in suicidal fashion."
By using words such as "arctic" and "suicidal," he invokes an intense kind of
imagery, one that dramatizes the excessive way in which we consume AC.
Indeed, we turn our "homes, offices, and massive commercial outlets into
igloos." Klinenberg's message to the reader is loud and clear: our "burning
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through fossil fuels" is extreme, superfluous, and even ridiculous. There is
simply no need to use up energy at the level we are doing so today. Although
some may say that Klinenberg's choice of words borders on hyperbole, it is an
effective way of turning readers' attention to an issue that likely applies to
them on a daily basis. It reinforces the point that our own energy habits have
left us in a dire situation that will only get worse if changes aren't made.
In summary, writer Eric Klinenberg—using statistics, acknowledgements
to the opposing view, and specific word choice—makes the case that
rectifying climage change requires a substantial reduction in air-conditioning
usage. It's those persuasive elements that not only inform the reader of the
problem but also spur the reader into solving it.
Step-by-step
Notice how closely my essay follows the template prescribed in this
chapter. There is absolutely no way I would've been able to crank out that
essay in 50 minutes if I didn't already have a solid blueprint to follow. Here's
my step by step process after I first open the writing booklet:
1. Read the entire passage from beginning to end, underlining any words or
sentences that contribute to its persuasive power. Next to each part you
underline, quickly jot down the persuasive element being used.
2. When you finish the passage, go over the parts you underlined and make
a mental list of the persuasive elements you identified.
3. From that list, choose three persuasive elements that you'll discuss in your
essay. Try to choose ones that are used throughout the essay so that you'll
have a lot to talk about. Don't choose persuasive elements that are used
only in one sentence.
4. Read the essay task. It will tell you exactly what the author's main
argument is.
5. At this point, it's time to begin writing your essay. You should be onto
your introduction within 10 minutes of the starting time. That gives you
at least 40 minutes to complete your essay.
6. Always always have a conclusion. The graders will punish you if you
don't have one. I'd rather cut one of my body paragraphs short than run
out of time before the conclusion. It's completely scripted out for you in
the template so just bang it out when you have 3-4 minutes left. Like the
introduction, the conclusion should be muscle memory.
The beauty of having a template is that it takes the thinking away from all
the essay components that relate to organization, sentence variety,
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vocabulary, and transitions, allowing you to focus your time and attention on
your analysis.
This template makes a low score nearly impossible because even if your
analysis isn't the strongest, you'll still score well on organization and language
use.
Some Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I know whether the author is a he or a she? Sometimes the names
are gender neutral.
You can tell from the assignment box at the end of the passage, based on
whether it uses his or her.
2. I've been taught all my life to write an awesome "hook" that draws the
reader in. Doesn't the hook in the template seem a bit generic?
First of all, the template's introductory sentence is amazing because it
reiterates the passage's main idea and leads into your essay in a clear and
expressive way. No other type of hook will impress the graders more.
Remember that they're hired to rush through hundreds of essays full of
poor writing from students everywhere. There is NO hook in the ENTIRE
world that would excite them. I'm a teacher myself and I've read hundreds
of essays from students taking practice tests for the first time. The best
they've been able to get from me is a chuckle (usually from a terrible
hook). Maybe I'm just a mean, humorless teacher, but still … Don't go
out of your way and waste 5 minutes coming up with an awesome hook.
Even if you manage to come up with an ingenious attention-grabber, it's
just one sentence in your entire essay. The hook alone will not get you a
perfect score. Writing a long intelligent essay will.
3. Will the graders know I'm using a template?
First, realize that the template does not script out the meat of your essay,
which is your analysis. Much of what you write will actually be unique to
you. Secondly, graders look at so many essays that it's extremely unlikely
they'll be able to tell whether you're using a template. None of my
students have ever been penalized for using the template in this book (or
any other template). Even if the graders somehow knew you were using
this specific template from this specific book, they would still have to
base their grades on the essay content and NOT on whether they think
you used a template. If you're still concerned, then I recommend
developing your own introductory sentence. The first sentence is more
likely to tip a grader off than anything else in the template. This leads me
to the next question …
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4. Can I tweak the template to fit my own style/needs?
Absolutely. Everything in the template is a guideline. The main point is to
go in prepared with something you can rattle off immediately.
5. Do I need to practice?
Um yes! Keep writing essays until you can consistently churn out high
quality responses. Do not think that it'll come easy just because you read
this chapter. So many students, including my younger self, think that they
can pull off a great essay just by reading some formula or template. Then
when test day inevitably rolls around, they freeze up and totally botch it.
Having the template in your mind is not the same as being able to write it.
You need to make it muscle memory. Go and practice.
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