Extended Response Questions

What is an EXTENDED RESPONSE QUESTION? An Extended Response question is another way to refer to an essay. Most of these questions can be answered in a FOUR PARAGRAPH composition.

Introduction: “introduces” the subject of an essay and the writer’s opinion on that subject. It normally contains at least 4 sentences:

·  A warm up (general statement) that indicates the essay’s subject.

·  A narrowed idea that links your subject to its topics OR which hints at the thesis.

·  A roadmap states the topic of each body paragraph.

·  A thesis (controlling idea) that indicates the writer’s opinion about the topics.

Body Paragraphs: This is where your argument or your explanation takes place. There are 4 different types of sentences in your body paragraph:

·  The TOPIC sentence give the topic and the specific idea (thesis) found in each paragraph.

·  A POINT sentence gives general information about your topic.

·  A DETAIL sentence gives specific information about your point.

·  The concluding sentence revisits your points, topic and specific idea.

Conclusion: This wraps up your essay and brings your ideas to closure. The number of sentences depend on the number of body paragraphs you have.

·  Always RESTATE YOUR THESIS/CONTROLLING IDEA as the first sentence.

·  ROADMAP RECAP sentences summarize the main idea from each body paragraph. You will write ONE roadmap recap sentence for EACH body paragraph. In other words, one sentence for each topic.

·  The TEACHING STATEMENT summarized the main lesson taught in the essay. It should relate to your subject.

DOs When Answering Extended Response Questions

·  PLAN—PLAN—PLAN! (Outlines are our friends!

·  Actively read.

·  Use your notes and the texts.

·  Actively read the questions before you start reading the texts.

·  ANSWER THE QUESTION ASKED!!!!!!!

·  PROOFREAD/CHECK YOUR WRITING!!!!!!