Learning to Write a CQE:
Context-Quote-Explanation
A CQE is a way writer proves something by using evidence from the text. You are familiar with the idea of supporting your thoughts with evidence from the text. Rather than just plopping the quote into the paragraph, we use a CQE (Context-Quote-Explanation). This way we explain our evidence and make the paragraph flow.
YOUR JOB: We are going to write a CQE paragraph about either rules, choice, or memory in The Giver’s community
1. Let’s start with our topic sentence. Your TOPIC SENTENCE will state what you are trying to prove in your paragraph (whatever you believe the theme to be). It should be something up for interpretation, not just something literally stated in the book.
2. Next, you will find the QUOTE you will use to prove your point. – IT MUST PROVE YOUR TOPIC SENTENCE! Do you have it? Look on the sheet you filled out after you read the picture book. Good.
3. Now, you will support your quote with EVIDENCE -- why do you believe that? What made you think that? Explain your quote.
4. Finally, you will go back and set up the CONTEXT of the quote -- what happened right before this happened.
So, you’ve got the CQE Formula: (1) Topic sentence. (2) Give the context of the quote. (3) Work the quote in. (4) Explain the quote.
Let’s see if we can identify the parts of a CQE in the following paragraph.
· underline the TOPIC SENTENCE
· put squiggly lines under the CONTEX
· circle the QUOTE part of the CQE (get all of it!)
· underline the EXPLANATION
REAL Example
In The Giver, individual choice is not valued. This can be seen when Jonas talks to his parents, and he realizes that “he hadn’t the slightest idea what Assignment the elders would be selecting for his future” (19). This means that the elders choose Jonas’s future, eliminating Jonas’s personal choice.
FAKE – Rather Silly Example
Foreshadowing plays an important role in The Giver. Jonas had just walked into the grocery story with his mom to buy some soda. When his picked up the can of soda it turned to gold. “Jonas’s finger touched the can and instantly it turned to gold. Such things had never happened in the community” (48). This shows how Jonas is the only person to have this happen in the community. This foreshadows how special Jonas is.