Tutor profile: Amber K.

How do you write a thesis statement for an essay?

There are many methods for creating a thesis statement. One strategy is to, first, identify what you are trying to prove or what the main point is that you are trying to make. Whether you are writing a persuasive essay, an argumentative essay, a literary analysis, or any other kind of essay, there will always be one make point that is most important for your reader to understand. Then, determine three or four reasons that help to prove your point. Finally, take your main point that you are trying to prove and the 3-4 reasons, and combine it all into one sentence. Here is a very basic example that I used to teach this concept to my 9th grade English class. Say you had to write a persuasive essay on what the best book in the world is. I chose "Goldilocks and The Three Bears." My main point is "Goldilocks and The Three Bears is the best book in the world." Next, my 3 reasons are that the book is easy to read, it is funny, and it teaches a good lesson. So now we will combine it all into one sentence, and my thesis is "Goldilocks and The Three Bears is the best book in the world because it is easy to read, it is funny, and it teaches a good lesson." You can use this strategy for writing any kind of essay, no matter how basic or advanced!

How can you determine the theme of a book or story?

One way to determine the theme of a piece of literature is to, first, make sure you have read the whole story and understand the plot. Next, identify the main conflict of the story. Who is the "good guy" and who is the "bad guy"? Then, determine who wins the conflict in the end. What lesson has that character learned by the end of the story? That's your theme!

What is the difference between "affect" and "effect"?

The word "affect" is a verb. Someone or something can affect you, or you can affect someone or something. The word "effect" is a noun, like special effects in a movie. For another example: "The tsunami affected many people." Or "One effect of the tsunami was that many people lost their homes."