How to Write a Hamburger Paragraph

Reviewed by Annaliese Dunne

Last Updated: December 30, 2022

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.

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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]
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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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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]
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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]
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An example is: "Allie is a really good friend because she makes me happy when I am sad."^{[5]
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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]
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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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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.
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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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

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."

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What should all the details in a paragraph do?

Donagan

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They should provide cumulative (added) information about the main topic.

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What is the main topic of the paragraph example?

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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Tips

If you are having problems remembering how to write a hamburger paragraph, draw a picture of the hamburger and on each part either write "Topic Sentence", "Detail," or "Closing Sentence".

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