ENGLISH FOR

ACADEMIC AND
PROFESSIONAL
PURPOSES

Quarter 1- Week 4- Module 4

Lesson 4: Thesis Statement
Most Essential Learning Competency:
States the thesis statement of an academic
text (CS_EN11/12A-EAPP-Ia-c_7)

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HOW TO USE THIS MODULE
Before you start answering the module, I want you to set aside other tasks that will distract you while enj
Follow carefully all the contents and instructions indicated in every page of this module.
Write on your notebook or any writing pad the concepts about the lessons. Writing enhances learning, w
Perform all the provided activities in the module.
Let your facilitator/guardian assess your answers.
Analyze conceptually the posttest and apply what you have learned.
Enjoy studying!

PARTS OF THE MODULE

 Expectations - These are what you will be able to know after completing the
lessons in the module.
 Pre-Test - This will measure your prior knowledge and the concepts to be mastered
throughout the lesson.
 Looking Back - This section will measure what learnings and skills that you
understand from the previous lesson.
 Brief Introduction- This section will give you an overview of the lesson.
 Activities - These are activities designed to develop critical thinking and other
competencies. This can be done with or without a partner depending on the nature
of the activity.
 Remember - This section summarizes the concepts and applications of the lessons.
 Checking Your Understanding - It will verify how you learned from the lesson.
 Post-Test - This will measure how much you have learned from the entire module
Lesson

4 Thesis Statement

EXPECTATIONS
In this module, you will have to state the thesis statement of an
academic text.
Specifically, this module will help you to:
 define thesis statement;
 locate the thesis statement in the text;
 determine the steps in writing the thesis statement; and
 write a thesis statement.

Let us continue exploring thesis statement. I am sure you are ready and excited
to answer the Pretest. Smile and cheer up!

PRETEST
Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer.
1. It contains the main idea of a paragraph.
A. conclusion C. topic sentence
B. thesis statement D. supporting sentences
2. It often previews the structure of the rest of the essay in a way that corresponds with
the body paragraphs.
A. main idea C. topic sentence
B. thesis statement D. supporting sentences
3. This refers to the reasons which support your claim.
A. evidence C. rationale
B. qualification D. stance
4. What type of essay breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts,
evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the
audience?
A. analytical C. expository
B. argumentative D. entertainment
5. What type of essay explains something to the audience?
A. analytical C. expository
B. argumentative D. entertainment
6. What type of essay makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific
evidence?
A. analytical C. expository
B. argumentative D. entertainment

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 7. Which of the following does NOT describe a good thesis statement?
A. It is a single statement in the opening paragraph.
B. It tells the reader what to expect as they read the essay
C. It must be framed as an imperative sentence.
D. It is a clear, concise statement of your stance.
8. A limited topic is easier to discuss because it is more concrete. Which of the following
characteristics of thesis statement is described?
A. debatable C. specific
B. relevant D. unified
9. A thesis should express a single, central idea on which the paper will focus. What
characteristic is presented?
A. debatable C. specific
B. relevant D. unified
10. A thesis must set forth an assertion or statement that requires evidence to support it.
What characteristic is described?
A. debatable C. specific
B. relevant D. unified

Great! You finished answering the questions. You may request your facilitator to
check your work. Congratulations and keep on learning!

LOOKING BACK TO YOUR LESSON

Directions. Choose the letter that corresponds to the most appropriate answer.
1. Which of the following does NOT describe summarizing?
A. It can be a sentence, a paragraph or more to present the main idea of the whole
text.
B. It is an overview of the entire discussion or argument expressed in your own
words.
C. It may be 70-75% of the original text.
D. It states the main ideas in source concisely and in your own words.
2. How many percent of the original text must a summary contain? A. 10% to
25% C. 50% to 75%
B. 30% to 45 % D. 80& 95%
3. What are the steps in writing a summary?
I. Cite or mention the source.
II. Write your summary in your own words.
III. Determine the purpose of writing your summary.
IV. Look for the main idea of each paragraph.
V. Review and revise your summary.
A. III, IV, II, V, I C. I, III, II, IV, V
B. III, IV, V, I, II D. I, III, IV, II, V
4. Which of the following does NOT state when and why a summary is done?
A. to highlight the main point
B. to present the overview of the whole text
C. to be more economical or to save the time of the readers
D. to claim ownership of the text

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 5. Which of the following is a good summary of the text, “Stoltz and Fischhhel (2003)
examined parental interventions when their children encountered difficulties in the
text and concluded that meaningful feedback came from parents of less skilled
readers than parents of better readers.” (Lee, 2011)
A. Lee (2011) studied parents’ reading practices.
B. Lee (2011) found in her study of parents’ reading practice that the majority of
the parents seldom read to their children.
C. Stoltz and Fischhhel (2003) examined parental interventions when their children
encountered difficulties in the text.
D. Stoltz and Fischhhel (2003) concluded that meaningful feedback came from
parents of less skilled readers than parents of better readers.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION
One effective way of increasing your speed in reading is by finding the main idea or
thesis statement of the text and topic sentence of the paragraphs.

A thesis statement is the overall idea or argument of your work. It is a general

statement that presents essential points that leads the reader to the right direction. A thesis
statement also often previews the structure of the rest of the essay in a way that
corresponds with the body paragraphs.
Here are some points to consider in writing a thesis statement:
 It is a single statement in the introduction or opening paragraph.
 It must be framed as a declarative sentence.
 It tells the reader what to expect as they read the essay
 It is a clear, concise statement of the position you will defend in your paper. Note
that it is a clearly stated opinion but should not bluntly announce the opinion.
 The thesis statement should argue a position, not summarize information.
 It is narrow enough to write a focused essay, but it is also broad enough to write at
least three body paragraphs.
 It should have at least three ideas that will be developed in succeeding sections of
the essay.
 It is NOT a question, a known fact or an announcement.

This time, you will learn the easy steps in writing a thesis statement.
Steps:
1. Determine the kind of paper. Decide on the most appropriate kind of paper for your
topic and purpose of writing.
 An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts,
evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the
audience.
 An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
 An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with
specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an
evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the
argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on
the evidence provided.
2. Choose the topic. Make sure that the topic you are writing about is narrowed down.
Example: General topic: Desserts
Narrowed down topic: Desserts suitable to serve at parties.
3. State the stance. Tell directly your opinion/claim about the topic.
Example: Vanilla ice cream is the best party dessert.

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 4. Give the rationale. Provide the reasons which support your stance/ claim.
Example: Vanilla ice cream makes the best party dessert because it is:
a) easily obtainable; b) widely liked; c) and pairs well with other dessert options.

5. Qualify the stance. Apply limitations of oppositions to the claim. Example: Although
some people prefer chocolate, vanilla ice cream is the best party dessert.
6. Combine the stance, rationale and qualifications. Put them
together to create a complete thesis statement.
Example: Although some people prefer chocolate, vanilla ice cream is the best party
dessert because it is easily obtainable, widely liked, and pairs well with other dessert
options.
7. Evaluate the thesis. A strong thesis statement is specific, debatable, unified and
relevant.
Specific: A limited, specific topic is easier to discuss because it is more concrete.
Debatable: A thesis must set forth an assertion or statement that requires evidence
to support it.
Unified: A thesis should express a single, central idea on which the paper will focus.
Relevant: A thesis should be appropriate to the topic.

Here is a table that contains suggested structures in drafting the thesis statement
depending on the type of text.

Type Structure Example

Expository (statement about Yoga has many physical benefits such
the topic) , such as as increased flexibility, strengthened
(specific details about muscles, and improved respiration.
the topic)_.

Analytical In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare

In (title) , (author) examines the theme of madness
examines (theme/ idea) . through erratic thoughts and actions of
Hamlet.

Argumentative After examining After examining the

(topic) , it is environmental factors, it is clear
clear that (position/ that recycling should be
idea) because (reason 1) , mandatory because it conserves
_(reason 2_, and _(reason 3). natural resources, reduces the
amount of waste in landfills and
incinerators, and decreases
greenhouse gas emissions.

To further understand a thesis statement, let us look at the following examples.

Thesis statement 1:
“The ASEAN region is a dynamic system because it capitalizes on cultural diversity, rich resources

This thesis statement contains the main idea that the ASEAN region is a dynamic
system. In order to support this, there are three points that need elaboration – cultural
diversity, resources, and a variety of perspectives.

Thesis statement 2:
“There are several ways for college students to improve their study habits.” These are a few
Study in a quiet environment. 4
Pay attention in class.
Manage their time well.
 Each of these three ideas can become a topic sentence. This means that for each
idea, there will be a paragraph that explains it.
At this point, you should be able to distinguish a topic sentence from a thesis
statement. A topic sentence contains the main idea of the paragraph while the thesis
statement contains the main idea of the whole text.
Look at the following chart to see how the thesis statement and topic sentences are
connected.

Thesis Statement  The thesis statement is

the big idea.
Paragraph 1: Topic Sentence  The three topic sentences
Supporting Sentences
explain the thesis
statement. Each begins a
new paragraph and tells
Paragraph 2: Topic Sentence Supporting Sentences
the reader what the
paragraph will be about.
(smaller reasons)
 The supporting sentences
Paragraph 3: Topic Sentence Supporting Sentences
explain the topic
sentence. (small details)

ACTIVITIES
Activity 1: Locating the Topic Sentence
Directions. Organize the following sentences to form a paragraph by arranging the letters.
Then, determine the topic sentence. Write your answers in the blanks provided.
Item 1
A. Hundreds of thousands of years passed without much change.
B. Today, new technologies are reported daily on television and in
newspapers.
C. Human technology developed from the first stone tools about two and a half million
years ago.
D. In the beginning, the rate of development was slow.
Arrangement: Topic Sentence
Item 2

A. They send cards to family and friends on birthdays and holidays.

B. Sending cards is very popular in North America.
C. They also send thank-you cards, get well cards, graduation cards, and congratulation
cards.
D.It is very common to buy cards in stores and send them through the mail, but turning
on the computer and sending cards over the Internet is also popular.
E. North Americans send cards for many occasions.
Arrangement: Topic Sentence _______________

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Activity.2: Writing a Thesis Statement
Directions. Follow the steps and come up with a strong thesis statement.
Topic Growing number of trolls
State your stance

Give the rationale 1.

2.
3.
Qualify the stance

Combine the stance,

rationale and qualification

REMEMBER
 A thesis statement is the overall idea or argument of your work. It often previews
the structure of the rest of the essay in a way that corresponds with the body
paragraphs.
 Steps in writing a thesis statement:
o Determine the kind of paper.
o Choose the topic.
o State the stance.
o Give the rationale.
o Qualify the stance.
o Combine the stance, rationale and qualifications.
o Evaluate the thesis.
 Structures of thesis statement based on the type of the essay:

o Expository: _(statement about the topic) , such as

the topic)_ .
o Analytical: In (title) , (author) examines (theme/ idea) .
o Argumentative: After examining (topic) , it is clear that
(position/ idea) because (reason 1) , _(reason 2_, and _(reason 3).
 A strong thesis statement is specific, debatable, unified and relevant.
 A topic sentence contains the main idea of the paragraph while the thesis statement
contains the main idea of the whole text.

CHECKING YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Directions. Read the text below and supply the details being asked.
Millions of people in the United States are affected by eating disorders. More than
90% of those afflicted are adolescents or young adult women. Although all eating disorders
share some common manifestations, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating
each have distinctive symptoms and risks.
People who intentionally starve themselves (even while experiencing severe hunger
pains) suffer from anorexia nervosa. The disorder, which usually begins around the time of
puberty, involves extreme weight loss to at least 15% below the individual’s normal body
weight. Many people with the disorder look emaciated but are convinced they are
overweight. In patients with anorexia nervosa, starvation can damage vital organs such as
the heart and brain. Anorexia nervosa sufferers can exhibit sudden angry outbursts or
become socially withdrawn. One in ten cases of anorexia nervosa leads to death from
starvation, cardiac arrest, other medical complications, or suicide. Clinical depression and
anxiety place many individuals with eating disorders at risk for suicidal behavior.
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 People with bulimia nervosa consume large amounts of food and then rid their bodies
of the excess calories by vomiting, abusing laxatives or diuretics, taking enemas, or
exercising obsessively. Some use a combination of all these forms of purging. Individuals
with bulimia who use drugs to stimulate vomiting, bowel movements, or urination may be in
considerable danger, as this practice increases the risk of heart failure. Dieting heavily
between episodes of binging and purging is common. In rare instances, binge eating causes
the stomach to rupture; purging may result in heart failure due to loss of vital minerals such
as potassium. Vomiting can cause the esophagus to become inflamed and glands near the
cheeks to become swollen. As in anorexia nervosa, bulimia may lead to irregular menstrual
periods. Psychological effects include compulsive stealing as well as possible indications of
obsessive-compulsive disorder, an illness characterized by repetitive thoughts and
behaviors. The condition occurs most often in women but is also found in men.
Finally, individuals with binge-eating disorder feel that they lose control of themselves when
eating. Binge-eating disorder is found in about 2% of the general population. As many as
one-third of this group are men. It also affects older women, though with less frequency.
Recent researchshows that binge-eating disorder occurs in about 30% of people
participating in medically supervised weight-control programs. This disorder differs from
bulimia because its sufferers do not purge. They eat large quantities of food and do not stop
until they are uncomfortably full. Most sufferers are overweight or obese and have a history
of weight fluctuations. As a result, they are prone to the serious medical problems
associated with obesity, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Obese
individuals also have a higher risk for gallbladder disease, heart disease, and some types of
cancer. Usually they have more difficulty losing weight and keeping it off than do people with
other serious weight problems. Like anorexic and bulimic sufferers who exhibit psychological
problems, individuals with binge-eating disorder have high rates of simultaneously occurring
psychiatric illnesses, especially depression.
Source: http://maxec.weebly.com/uploads/9/9/6/4/9964524/501_reading_comprehension_practice.pdf

Thesis Statement:
State your stance
Give the rationale
Qualify stance
Topic Sentence 1:

Topic Sentence 2:

Topic Sentence 3:

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POST TEST
I. Directions. Choose the best thesis statement from each set of sentences.
1 A. Although many varieties of beans belong in a healthy diet, among the most
nutritious are black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and pinto beans.
B. The most nutritious beans are black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas,
and pinto beans.
C. Although beans are generally good for you, some kinds of raw beans
can be dangerous if they are not well cooked.

2 A. Both chefs and cooks prepare meals but are different in several ways.
B. Although both chefs and cooks can prepare fine meals, chefs differ from cooks
in education, professional commitment, and artistry.
C. A career in the culinary arts is a good choice for many reasons.

3 A. Drug and alcohol addiction is a major problem in the world today, and many
people suffer from it.
B. Addiction to gadgets cause various problems in the society.
C. Like other addictive behaviors, internet addiction may have serious negative
consequences, including academic failure, job loss, and a breakdown in
personal relationships.
4 A. Violent video games are harmful to young people, and it should be
stopped.
B. Violent video games are harmful for young people to play because it promotes a
sedentary lifestyle, encourages violence, and can cause children to become
desensitized to death.
C. Violent video games are harmful for young people because they should be
reading a book.
5 A. Automated elections should be improved due to the cheating cases.
B. Although automated elections need improvement, we have to be honest.
C. Automated elections should be improved to minimize fraud, facilitate faster turnout,
and maximize voter participation.

II. Directions. Choose the letter that corresponds to the correct answer.
6. Which topic sentence DOES NOT belong with the thesis below?
The best kind of pet is a cat because they are friendly, low
maintenance, and have great personalities.
A. First, cats are affectionate creatures.
B. Next, cats are inexpensive.
C. In addition, it is not hard to take care of a cat.
D. Finally, every cat has a unique personality.
7. Which topic sentence DOES NOT belong with the thesis below?
Schools should start later in the day because it would allow for more sleep, aid efforts
at better nutrition, and be more convenient for both students and parents.
A. To begin, if school started later, it would also get out later.
B. Also, teens would be able to sleep in longer and feel more rested for the start of
the day.
C. Furthermore, it will be easier to eat a healthy breakfast if there is more time to do
so.
D. Most importantly, a later start time would be easier for parents and students to
plan around.
8. Which topic sentence DOES NOT belong with the thesis below? Although there are
those who claim otherwise, sports are not overrated because they keep people
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 active, provide entertainment, and instill valuable life lessons in those that play them.
A. To begin with, sports can be an important part of an active lifestyle.
B. Next, sports teams help build a sense of community and pride in a school.
C. Moreover, even if you aren't playing a sport, it is relatively cheap entertainment to
watch.
D. Finally, the learning is fun.
9. In the thesis statement, “Although both chefs and cooks can prepare fine meals, chefs
differ from cooks in education, professional commitment, and artistry”, what step is
represented by the underlined phrase?
A. Choose the topic. C. Give the rationale.
B. State the stance. D. Qualify the stance.
10. What do you call the phrase, “education, professional commitment, and artistry”?
A. topic C. rationale
B. stance D. qualification

REFLECTIVE LEARNING SHEET No. 4

Lesson 1: Thesis Statement
Directions: Reflect on what you have learned after taking up this lesson by
completing the chart below.

I thought…

What were your thoughts or

ideas about thesis statement
prior to the discussion of this
lesson?

I learned

What new or
additional ideas did
you learn after taking
up this lesson?

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REFERENCES
Barrot, J. & Sipacio P. (2016). Communicate Today: English for Academic
and Professional Purposes. Manila: C & E Publishing
Learning Express. 501 Reading Comprehension. Retrieved
http://maxec.weebly.com/uploads/9/9/6/4/9964524/501_reading_c
omprehension_practice.pdf
Purdue Online Writing Lab. (2020). Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis
Statements. Retrieved
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/the
sis_statement_tips.html
Quizizz. Retrieved
https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/58bea9558741023318b45a3e/
thesi s-statements

Acknowledgements Writer: Romalyn A. Rizardo, Master Teacher II

Editor: Ross Marie Ann B. Gomez, Master Teacher II
Reviewer: Vicente M. Victorio, Education Program Supervisor Management Team: Ma

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POST TEST

1. a 2. b 3. c 4. b 5. c
6. b 7. a 8. d 9. d 10. c

PRE-TEST

1. c 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. c
6. b 7. c 8. c 9. d 10. a