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Forming a Focus

A focus helps you know what to say about your topic. For example, if you were writing a paragraph about moving to a new city, you might write a focus statement about your hopes and fears.

When my family first moved to Rochester (topic), my heart was full of hopes and fears (focus).

      Topic   &nbsp+    Focus    =    Focus Statement

Sample Focus Statements

Persuasive Writing

The playground (topic) needs a new set of monkey bars (focus).

Our class (topic) should vote on the next president (focus).

Explanatory Writing

Dinosaurs (topic) had either bird hips or lizard hips (focus).

Leaves change color in the fall (topic) because the chlorophyll breaks down (focus).

Narrative Writing

When my brother went off to boot camp (topic), I decided to write him a letter every week (focus).