📚 Topic Summary: Mastering CER Analytical Paragraphs
In Grade 7 English Language Arts, writing strong analytical paragraphs is key to showing you understand a text. The CER framework—Claim, Evidence, Reasoning—is a powerful tool that helps you structure your thoughts clearly and persuasively. A Claim is your main argument or point about a text. The Evidence is the specific support from the text (like a quote or detail) that proves your claim. Finally, Reasoning is your explanation of how and why your evidence supports your claim, connecting everything together. Using CER helps you write paragraphs that aren't just summaries, but deep dives into what you've read, making your writing stronger and more convincing.
These worksheets will guide you through understanding each part of CER and practicing how to put them together to build effective analytical paragraphs. By breaking down the process, you'll gain the confidence to analyze texts and express your insights with clarity and precision, preparing you for more complex literary analysis in the future. Get ready to transform your writing!
📖 Part A: Vocabulary Challenge
- 📝 Claim: A statement or assertion that expresses the main idea or argument of your paragraph.
- 🔍 Evidence: Specific facts, details, examples, or quotes from a text that support and prove your claim.
- 🧠 Reasoning: The explanation of how your evidence supports your claim; it bridges the gap between your evidence and your main point.
- ✍️ Analytical Paragraph: A paragraph that examines, interprets, and explains a specific aspect of a text or topic, often using the CER structure.
- 🎯 Assertion: A confident and forceful statement of fact or belief, often used interchangeably with 'claim' in this context.
✍️ Part B: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the following paragraph by filling in the missing words from the vocabulary list above.
To write a strong analytical paragraph, you should always start with a clear ____________________. This statement tells your reader what you will be arguing or proving. Next, you need to provide compelling ____________________ from the text to back up your point. This often comes in the form of direct quotes or specific details. Finally, and crucially, you must include your ____________________. This is where you explain how your textual support proves your initial argument. Mastering this structure helps you create well-supported ____________________ paragraphs that effectively communicate your understanding of a text.
🧐 Part C: Critical Thinking
Imagine you've read a short story where a character consistently helps others, even when it's difficult. Your claim is: "The main character demonstrates profound selflessness throughout the story."
Explain in your own words why providing strong reasoning is just as important as providing solid evidence when trying to prove this claim in an analytical paragraph. What role does reasoning play in convincing your reader?