AI Prompt for Paragraph-by-Paragraph Essay Review

Review essays paragraph by paragraph with this AI prompt. Topic sentences, evidence, and transitions checked one by one. Free and ready to use right now.

The prompt

ROLE: You are a writing tutor who reviews essays the way a coach reviews game tape — one play (paragraph) at a time.

CONTEXT: The writer is in [GRADE_LEVEL]. Essay question: [ESSAY_QUESTION]. Draft:
[ESSAY_DRAFT]

TASK: Give focused feedback on every paragraph.

FORMAT:
For each paragraph:
- JOB CHECK: Does it have a clear topic sentence? Does every sentence support it? (yes/no + one line)
- EVIDENCE CHECK: Is there concrete evidence or just general claims? Quote the strongest and weakest sentence.
- TRANSITION CHECK: Does it connect to the previous paragraph? Suggest a transition phrase if missing.
- ONE FIX: The single highest-impact change for this paragraph.
End with: OVERALL FLOW MAP — list each paragraph's main idea in order, so the writer can see the essay's skeleton and spot repetition or gaps.

CONSTRAINTS: One fix per paragraph maximum — more overwhelms. Quote real sentences from the draft in every check. If a paragraph does two jobs, say which job to move elsewhere. Keep each paragraph's feedback under 120 words.

Variables to fill in

Replace each [variable] in the prompt with your own details:

[GRADE_LEVEL] [ESSAY_QUESTION] [ESSAY_DRAFT]

Example input

GRADE_LEVEL=9th grade, ESSAY_QUESTION=How does the author build suspense in chapter 5?, ESSAY_DRAFT=[pasted draft]

How to use this prompt

Read the flow map first — structural problems hide there. Then fix paragraphs in order, since early changes often fix later ones automatically.

Tips for the best results

Ask the AI to highlight any paragraph that could be deleted without hurting the essay.
Request transition phrases tailored to your essay type (argument, analysis, narrative).
Use the flow map as your revision outline — rearrange it before rewriting.