Lesson 2 of 8
Meet T.E.D.L.: A Simple Paragraph Structure
Key idea: four parts, each building on the one before it.
I built TEDL for students who kept getting stuck on other paragraph frameworks. If you learned ACES in Texas, it will feel familiar.
Watch me explain itThe 1:50 to 3:16 section of my full T.E.D.L. video.
T.E.D.L. Paragraph Example
TLast week, I went to Lummi Island and stayed with friends.
EThe island is very small and there is nothing to do, but it is full of forests and very beautiful landscapes.
DI loved looking at the trees, mountains, and the sea. I also went for several hikes in the mountains and around the beach.
LLummi Island is amazing and I can't wait to go back.
- The example or detail can take more than one sentence. The detail here takes two.
- Use T.E.D.L. anywhere you need a paragraph: class assignments, test answers, emails, letters.
- Use it until you don't need it. Then you can lose it.
Label the parts
These four sentences are one paragraph, out of order. Choose the part each one plays.
On weekdays the second floor is almost silent, so I can finish a whole assignment in one afternoon.
When I have something important to finish, the library is where I go.
The public library is the best place in my neighborhood to get work done.
It has free Wi-Fi and long tables where nobody bothers you.
Next, you'll take each part one at a time and start writing your own paragraph, beginning with the topic sentence.
Want a teacher to read your writing?
Take the free 12-minute English test. It ends with a short paragraph, and I read every one and follow up with what I noticed.