How to Write a Hamburger Paragraph

Writing a thorough but effective paragraph can be hard, especially if you're still learning some techniques for structuring your writing. The hamburger paragraph technique is easy to remember and easy to use; it offers a "recipe" for writing full and "meaty" paragraphs. Get started a step number one.

Steps

  1. Image titled Write a Hamburger Paragraph Step 1
    1
    Write a topic sentence as the "top bun" of your hamburger. The topic sentence should tell you what the paragraph is about. For example, if you were writing about your best friend your topic sentence might be something like this: "Allie is a really great friend."[1]
  2. Image titled Write a Hamburger Paragraph Step 2
    2
    Add a detail as your tomato. The tomato is going to be a detail. A detail should some how connect with the topic sentence. An example is: "Allie is always there for me, no matter what."[2]
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  3. Image titled Write a Hamburger Paragraph Step 3
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    Layer on another detail as the cheese. The cheese is going to be another detail that connects with the topic sentence. An example is; "Allie is a really good friend because she helps me with my homework."[3]
  4. Image titled Write a Hamburger Paragraph Step 4
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    Add another sentence as your burger. The burger is just another detail that connects with the topic sentence. An example is: "Allie is lots of fun when we play together."[4]
  5. Image titled Write a Hamburger Paragraph Step 5
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    Add the lettuce, another detail that connects with the topic sentence. An example is: "Allie is a really good friend because she makes me happy when I am sad."[5]
  6. Image titled Write a Hamburger Paragraph Step 6
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    Offer up the onions. The onions will be the last detail that connects with the topic sentence. An example is: "Allie shares her lunch with me, when I forget mine."[6]
  7. Image titled Write a Hamburger Paragraph Step 7
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    Finish up with the bottom bun. It will wrap up the whole paragraph. An example is: "I am really glad Allie is my friend and I would not be the person I am today without her."[7]
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    Analyse your finished paragraph. Here's our example in all its glory. Allie is a really great friend. Allie is always there for me, no matter what. Allie is a really good friend because she helps me with my homework. Allie is lots of fun when we play together. Allie is a really good friend because she makes me happy when I am sad. Allie shares her lunch with me, when I forget mine. I am really glad Allie is my friend and I would not be the person I am today without her.If you think your paragraph is of a similar structure and quality as this example, well done, you've written a hamburger paragraph.
  9. Image titled Write a Hamburger Paragraph Step 9
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    Review it again and consider any possible improvements.

    My friend Allie is really great, always there for me when I need her, no matter what. If I need help with my homework, Allie helps me. We have fun playing together too, lots of fun. Allie always makes me happy whenever I am sad, even if I am sad because I'm hungry! Allie shares her lunch with me if I have forgotten mine. I am really glad Allie is my friend: I would not be the person I am today without her.

    Which paragraph do you think is better?[8]
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    Is the following paragraph an example of a hamburger paragraph? "Christmas is time to enjoy. I spend time with my family. For Christmas and Three Kings Day, I got a Barbie a Lol doll, and a car."
    Tom De Backer
    Tom De Backer
    Top Answerer
    It is not, because you don't have a conclusion. The template is: topic sentence, 1 - 3 supporting sentences, conclusion. You got the first two parts, but not the conclusion. So you could wrap it up with "Spending time with my family and receiving presents turned my Christmas into a joyful time."
  • Question
    What should all the details in a paragraph do?
    Donagan
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    They should provide cumulative (added) information about the main topic.
  • Question
    What is the main topic of the paragraph example?
    Donagan
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    The main topic is stated quite well in the topic sentence. The paragraph is about Allie and the reasons she is a great friend.
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.siue.edu/~tkohler/Writing%2520a%2520Paragraph.html
  2. ↑ https://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/paragraph_hamburger
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeCv0ifsURA
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeCv0ifsURA
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeCv0ifsURA
  6. ↑ https://www.siue.edu/~tkohler/Writing%2520a%2520Paragraph.html
  7. ↑ https://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/paragraph_hamburger
  8. ↑ https://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/paragraph_hamburger

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 10 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 79,432 times.
79 votes - 62%
Co-authors: 10
Updated: December 30, 2022
Views: 79,432
Categories: Writing Paragraphs
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