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One Paragraph Essay Sample

The Hazards of Moviegoing

By John Langan
From College Writing Skills with Readings

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Introduction/Thesis Although I love movies, going to see them drives me slightly crazy.
Body First of all, getting to the movie can take a lot of time. I have a thirty five-minute drive down a congested highway. Then, with a popular film, I usually have to wait in a long line at the ticket booth. Another problem is that the theater itself is seldom a pleasant place to be. A musty smell suggests that there has been no fresh air in the theater since it was built. Half the seats seem to be failing apart. And the floor often has a sticky coating that gets on your shoes. The worst problem of all is some of the other moviegoers. Kids run up and down the aisle. Teenagers laugh and shout at the screen. People of all ages loudly drop soda cups and popcorn tubs, cough and burp, and elbow you out of the armrest on either side of your seat.
Conclusion All in all, I would rather stay home and wait for the latest movie hits to appear on TV in the safety and comfort of my own living room.

 

Outline for an One-Paragraph Essay

 
  1. Introduction:
    1. Thesis statement: ____________________
  2. Body:
    1. First Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): ____________________
      1. ____________________
      2. ____________________
    2. Second Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): ____________________
      1. ____________________
      2. ____________________
      3. ____________________
    3. Third Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): ____________________
      1. ____________________
      2. ____________________
      3. ____________________
  3. Conclusion
    1. Restate topic: ____________________

 

Sample Outline for a One-Paragraph Essay

This is in relation to "The Hazards of Movie going" (the paragraph)

 
  1. Introduction:
    1. Thesis statement: I love going to the movies but there are problems going there.
  2. Body:
    1. First Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): Time getting there
      1. long drive
      2. long lines
    2. Second Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): The theater
      1. smelly
      2. broken seats
      3. sticky floors
    3. Third Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): Other moviegoers
      1. kids running
      2. noisy teenagers
      3. people of all ages
        1. make noises dropping cups and popcorn tubs
        2. cough and burp
        3. elbowing one another
  3. Conclusion
    1. Restate topic: I prefer staying at home where it is comfortable and safe.

Updated June 1, 2001
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