A Complete Guide of Teel Structure: Uses and Examples

Some of you may be hearing about this term for the first time, whereas some who have had some experience with essay writing might know what TEEL structure is. Nevertheless, this article is catered to both populations.

This article will help you understand TEEL structure and how to use it to effectively increase the quality of your essay or any other type of academic writing.

What is TEEL Structure

TEEL is an acronym that stands for Topic Sentence, Explanation, Evidence, and Link. It is a writing technique that is used while writing a paragraph in an essay. TEEL gives a structure to the paragraph, which can help form the essay and thus improve its quality.

T- Topic Sentence
E- Explanation
E- Evidence
L- Link

Each letter in the term TEEL signifies the nature of the sentences, which should be present in a paragraph. The flow of thought in a paragraph should be as though it first introduces the topic in which the paragraph is written, then follows the explanation as to what it is, why you have chosen it, and what its importance is. Then you are to provide evidence to the arguments which have been put up explaining all the important terms. Lastly, the final statements of the paragraph should perform as a link to all the previous sentences and information in the statement and give a definite outcome.

TEEL Structure is not a set of rules you must follow while writing an essay; instead, it is a technique that should be used along with the existing rules to give the essay value and provide a better paragraph structure. The common rules which should be followed along with the TEEL structure while writing a paragraph are:

1. A paragraph should follow only one topic at a time.
2. An essay may contain 3 to 5 paragraphs.
3. A single paragraph should have at least four to six sentences.
4. The usual size of a paragraph should be around half paged.
5. The flow of sentences in every paragraph should follow the TEEL structure.

Therefore it is advised to get into the TEEL structure after doing all the preliminary research or after making the first draft. TEEL structure should follow up with a strict proofreading regime for checking relevancy and format.

Let us have an in-depth look at what each term in the TEEL acronym involves.

Topic Sentence
The first sentence of the paragraph tells the readers what the coming paragraph will be all about. Therefore it is necessary to write a topic sentence that carefully gives the reader a peek and sufficient information about the topic. It should be intriguing enough to maintain the readers’ interest; therefore, an argument best follows a topic sentence. By the time the reader finishes reading the topic sentence and moves forward to the following part of the paragraph, they should have some questions in their mind, which will be answered in the rest of the paragraph.

Explanation
The next sentences will give the reader a detailed overview of the topic sentence and what you have discussed previously. In this section of a paragraph, the reader should get a complete understanding of the topic. In this section, you should put forth your claims and arguments. Since you can only explain so much in a few sentences of a paragraph, your sentences must be short and to the point. So that the reader doesn’t get confused and the paragraph has the most effect.

Evidence
No argument can stand if it is not sustained with compelling evidence to support its claim. Therefore this is the part of the paragraph wherein you will provide sufficient evidence related to the arguments and statements put forth by you in the previous sentences. This evidence may be a quote, factual data, or a reference from a quality source. The evidence provided by you can make a big difference in the effect of the paragraph on the reader. It can help the reader retain the information most, thus solidifying the influence of the paragraph.

Link
This is the most important part of the paragraph as it brings together the whole paragraph and links it back to the overall topic of the whole essay. This section gives a concise summary of the topic sentence, explanation, and the evidence provided by you in a short yet subtle manner. This section holds such importance because, apart from giving the paragraph’s conclusion, it also establishes the importance of the topic discussed in the subject matter of the whole essay.

Here is an example that will better explain the use of TEEL:
For social structure, conformity isn’t decent as it hinders uniqueness. People are required to comply with a large number of regulations. In every moment of their livelihood, people are regulated. Conformity standards of society, backed by monitoring and penalties, indicate that just by thinking and acting differently, people are guilty of demonstrating individuality. One of the rules, for instance, was that kids should get their bicycles after 10 years of age, and until then, they are not allowed to ride them. As a consequence, because of these conformity criteria, society is constantly being monitored to ensure that people abide by the rules. In another instance, Ross refuses to abide by the rules and brings home an orange, due to which Ross is vexed by a justification that elements ought not to be taken away from its place of birth and that fruits should be consumed, not hoarded. Ross finds the declaration demeaning. Therefore, people must abide by traditions else they should be liable for punishments. This does not enable people to grow toward being unique personalities.
Legend: Topic sentence; Explanation; Evidence; Link

“Katy stays impartial to the war ‘between the boys’ at school, which ultimately reflects an inability of her bravery and compassion. Despite being courteous to Joey, by introducing him to her friends in class, Katy has not once shown any behaviour of friendship and kindness to Joey. Katy greets Joey by waving at him in the halls, but she never indulges in a conversation or sits next to him. It is seen as on the first class of the previous day, Katy nodded at Joey and proceeded to take a seat at the front. And earlier, when Katy was asking about the war between the boys, Ross and Chandler, she seemed worried and was checking to see if anyone was there. Joey felt that she was trying to avoid him. Katy could have helped Joey if she intended to. If she had expressed some form of bravery and compassion towards Joey, he would have felt a lot more comfortable. This shows that, despite doing the formality of waving and nodding, Katy had no intention of being associated with Joey. This also shows that she lacked compassion towards him.
Legend: Topic Sentence; Explanation; Evidence; Link

Tips for Writing a TEEL Paragraph

Here are some common tips which will help you in writing your best TEEL paragraph:

Brainstorm:
As told before, TEEL structure is not a set of guidelines; instead, it is a writing technique that gives structure to the paragraph. Therefore, you must jot down all the required information about the topic beforehand. Identify the main deliverables of the paragraph, such as:

1. What the topic of this particular paragraph should be?
2. What arguments you are going to make?
3. How you will explain this to them?
4. What kind of evidence is most relevant to the topic at hand?
5. How is this topic important to the subject of the essay?

Formal Language:
Since TEEL structure is mostly used in formal and academic essay writing, it is important to use formal language while writing and framing the sentences in your essay. The formal language emphasizes the content of the essay; it makes the writing more credible and has a better effect on the reader. Keep in mind the following points while writing an essay informal language:

1. Do not use slang or colloquial words.
2. Do not use contractions of words. Forex: you’ll, won’t, can’t.
3. Avoid using exaggeration or hyperbole.

Third-Person Perspective:
As the essay follows formal language, you must always phrase your paragraph in the third person. Using first- and second-person perspectives makes the writing more casual, reducing its credibility and impact. Using the third person emphasises the reader to the context and factual data instead of seeing it as a personal opinion. Use correct pronouns while referring to someone.

Formatting:
Always check the formatting and punctuation in your essay before submitting it. It is important to see if the essay format follows the assigned guidelines set by the tutor or examiner. The references should be properly cited to avoid issues with plagiarism. Use proper quotation marks.

Proofread:
After writing the final draft, proofread the essay to make sure that it follows the guidelines and that the content has the utmost relevance. While proofreading you should give specific attention to each paragraph in the essay and check its flow of thought and whether it is in correlation to the TEEL structure. Check for typos and grammatical errors.

Advantages of using TEEL structure

Using TEEL structured paragraphs in an essay can bring a mediocre essay to award-winning standards. Here are the benefits of using TEEL structure for writing paragraphs:

1. Enhances Credibility: Using TEEL structure effectively increases the way readers perceive the contents of the paragraphs and makes it much more impactful.
2. Increases Creativity: Writing a TEEL structure while enhancing quality increases the creative skill of the writer and allows them to be a superior writer.
3. Keeping Focus: The use of TEEL structure allows the author to stay focused on the particular topic and not wander off to related subjects. This keeps the sentences to the point and delivers information in a better way.
4. Provides Evidence: The most important feature of the TEEL structure is that it enables the writer to give evidence to the statements and arguments put up by them. Evidence increases the analytical aspect of the paragraph and the whole essay.
5. Sets a path: It provides the writer with a way to write the essay. It tells them what to write, when to write, and how it should be written to give the paragraph the utmost value.

Things to remember and FAQs

1. Topic Sentence: It should be a brief introduction to the coming paragraph.
2. Explanation: Expand the topic and explain the particulars of the topic in detail without including unnecessary information.
3. Evidence: Give evidence for each of the claims and arguments. Give proper citations where required.
4. Link: Give a short and concise summary of the paragraph and relate it to the essay’s main topic, solidifying its importance.
5. Proofread: Proofread the whole article in detail and give attention to small and big issues alike, such as relevance, formatting, punctuation, language and typos.

 Can an essay have multiple TEEL paragraphs?

A. Yes, you may include as many TEEL paragraphs in your essay as you want, but remember that each paragraph should discuss different topics, and a single paragraph cannot have more than one topic.

 Is the topic sentence the same as the introduction in an essay?

A. The topic sentence and the introduction may seem similar, but the way these two are formed is quite different. Topic sentence sets the tone for the particular paragraph in one or two sentences, whereas the introduction gives more detail the introduction of the subject to the reader.

 Is TEEL structure only used in essays?

A. No, TEEL structure is a technique that can be utilized to write a paragraph in any type of article. It can even be used in a poem, following the additional parameters.

Hope this article helped you identify the important aspect of essay writing, TEEL structure and cleared some of the doubts that arose through the process.