Keep your topic sentence clear and concise so that the reader can tell exactly what the paragraph is about. For example, your topic sentence might be “A zebra is a type of mammal. ” You may have seen a variant on the TEEL structure called a PEEL paragraph. In a PEEL paragraph, the P stands for “Point,” i. e. , the main point of the paragraph. [2] X Research source
For example, your explanation might state, “A mammal is a warm-blooded animal with hair or fur. Female mammals secrete milk to feed their offspring, and typically give birth to live young as opposed to laying eggs. ” Think about what kind of explanation or additional detail would benefit the reader. For example, are there terms in the topic sentence you need to define?
For instance, in your paragraph about zebras, you could follow up your explanation by saying, “Like all mammals, zebras are warm-blooded. They also have a coat of striped black and white fur. The females give birth to live foals, which they feed with milk from a pair of teats located between their back legs. ” You might have several examples or pieces of evidence to choose from. Try to pick the example or evidence that is most relevant and best supports your argument. [5] X Research source
For example, you might sum up your paragraph on the zebra by saying, “Therefore, the zebra meets all the major criteria for being classified as a mammal. ”
“What exactly am I trying to say with this paragraph?” “What’s the best evidence I have to support my point?” “How does the information in this paragraph connect to the question I’m trying to answer or the main point I’m trying to make?”
There are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if you’re writing a personal essay for a college application, you might use the TEEL structure along with the first person.
For example, don’t write something like, “I’m pretty sure zebras aren’t reptiles, because they don’t have scales. ” Instead, you might write, “Unlike all known species of reptiles, zebras do not have scales. This evidence suggests that zebras are probably not reptiles. ”
For example: According to Dr. Pritchard’s 1974 dissertation on zebras, “The zebra is undoubtedly a mammal” (p. 62). You can also use an indirect quote, where you rephrase or summarize what someone else said in your own words. If you do this, you must still indicate where the information came from. If you need to leave a word or phrase out of a quote, indicate that something is missing with ellipses (…). For example, “The zebra is related to other equine mammals, including…the horse. ” If you have to change or add a word, use brackets. For example: According to her diary, “[Veronica] thought that zebras were insects. ”
You might find it helpful to read your paragraph out loud since your ears sometimes pick up on problems that your eyes miss.
You might find it helpful to read your paragraph out loud since your ears sometimes pick up on problems that your eyes miss.
