Analytical PETAL Paragraph Review (Cultural Poetry)

Paragraphs need coherence and transitions

• Culture is core to who we are. Therefore, many poems have been written to reflect poet's cultural identity. (shows a result or effect)

• Some would pity those living in a tiny apartment. However, this poem shows how it is family that ultimately makes a home warm and welcoming. (shows contrast or difference)

• NOW, you try some of your own...

Multiple Choice

Choose the best transition

Set the table. ______ serve the salad.

• Then

• However,

• Such as,

• Further,

• None

Multiple Choice

Choose the best transition.

The batteries are almost worn out. _______ the flashlight is dim.

• However,

• For example,

• Therefore,

• In conclusion,

• None

Multiple Choice

Choose the best transition to link these sentences

The speaker thought she lost her mother tongue. _______ the language proved it was still able to flourish.

• However,

• For example,

• Therefore,

• Additionally,

• None

Multiple Choice

Choose the best transition to link these sentences

The speaker expresses love for her grandmother. _______ she uses imagery to depict her grandmother's beauty.

• However,

• For example,

• Therefore,

• Additionally,

• None

Point: This states the main idea of the paragraph. This main idea is your answers the question and the point you are trying to prove.

Evidence: This is a quote or example from the text that supports your point. It shows where you got your idea from.

Technique: This explains a technique the author uses (like a metaphor, imagery or alliteration) to make their point clear or strong.

Analysis: This is where you explain how the evidence and techniques support your main idea. You talk about why the quote or example is important.

Link: This connects your paragraph back to your main argument or leads into the next paragraph. It helps keep your writing organised.

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How to follow the P.E.T.A.L. Paragraph Structure

Use this model to review the structure

Point: In "Search for my Tongue," Sujata Bhatt talks about the difficulty of keeping her cultural identity through language.

Evidence: She shows this in the lines, “If you had two tongues in your mouth, and lost the first one, the mother tongue, you could not really know the other, the foreign tongue.”

Technique: Bhatt uses a metaphor and contrast to show the struggle between her 'mother tongue' and the 'foreign tongue.'

Analysis: The metaphor of having 'two tongues in your mouth' highlights how hard it is to balance two languages. The contrast between losing the 'mother tongue' and trying to learn the 'foreign tongue' shows her fear of losing her cultural roots while learning a new language.

Link: Bhatt’s poem beautifully captures the common immigrant experience of feeling torn between two cultures, which many people can relate to.

Multiple Choice

What is the first element of the PETAL paragraph?

• Paraphrase

• Point

• Personification

• Paragraph

​When should I use a PETAL structure?


When writing an essay, use it for your body paragraphs. These go between the introduction and conclusion paragraphs.

Use PETAL when you've been given a analytical question about an English text and told to answer it in 1-2 paragraphs.

Analytical questions often have words like HOW, EXPLAIN and ANALYSE in them.
Examples:
​"Explain how the author does..." "Analyse how..." "How does the poem represent..."

Draw

Circle where PETAL paragraphs should be used in an essay

Multiple Choice

True or false: Evidence, techniques and analysis can all appear in the same sentence.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

How long should your point usually be in a body paragraph?

• 2-3 lines

• 1 word

• A short phrase

• 1 sentence

Multiple Select

What should a point sentence do? (Choose two!)

• State the main idea of the paragraph

• Use a quote

• Answer the question

• Go into great detail

Multiple Choice

Which of these would work well as a point sentence?

• The poem emphasises the strength of the poet's mother tongue despite its suppression.

• Bhatt writes, "it grows back, a stump of a shoot," illustrating the return of her native language.

• The imagery of a "stump of a shoot" conveys the idea of revival and resilience.

• The poem thus portrays the enduring nature of cultural identity, despite challenges.

Multiple Choice

Where will we find the evidence for our PETAL Paragraph?

• From the text you are writing about

• We make it up

• In the question

• It is a technique

Multiple Choice

Which of these introduces evidence from the text to support a point?

• The poem emphasises the strength of the poet's mother tongue despite its suppression.

• Bhatt writes, "it grows back, a stump of a shoot," illustrating the return of her native language.

• The imagery of a "stump of a shoot" conveys the idea of revival and resilience.

• The poem thus portrays the enduring nature of cultural identity, despite challenges.

Multiple Choice

What must we remember when including evidence?

• To choose the longest quotes

• To credit the author

• To use speech marks for quotes

Multiple Choice

What does the T in PETAL stand for?

• Tinsel

• Transition

• Translation

• Technique

Multiple Choice

Which of these are you most likely to reference in the T section of your PETAL paragraph?

• Imagery

• The author's name

• Paragraphing

• Title

Multiple Choice

What should the analysis of your PETAL consider?

• The effect of the quote and its technique

• Why the text is popular

• The effect of analysis

Multiple Choice

Which of these sentences is include a technique and analysis?

• The poem emphasises the strength of the poet's mother tongue despite its suppression.

• Bhatt writes, "it grows back, a stump of a shoot," illustrating the return of her native language.

• The imagery of a "stump of a shoot" conveys the idea of revival and resilience.

• The poem thus portrays the enduring nature of cultural identity, despite challenges.

Multiple Choice

Which of these link back to the main point?

• The poem emphasises the strength of the poet's mother tongue despite its suppression.

• Bhatt writes, "it grows back, a stump of a shoot," illustrating the return of her native language.

• The imagery of a "stump of a shoot" conveys the idea of revival and resilience.

• The poem thus portrays the enduring nature of cultural identity, despite challenges.