What is TT/CC?

Improving your writing involves strategy! Learn to use TT/CC.

THE SHORT EXPLANATION: 

You need TT/CC. 

That means TITLE, TOPIC, CLINCHER, CONNECTION. 

The topic sentence (that is the first sentence) and the clincher sentence (that is the last sentence) must connect in some way. 

The two sentences could  

1) REPEAT - be the same -or

2) REFLECT - be opposites -or 

3) REFRACT - share a couple of the same words or use synonyms

The topic or the clincher must connect to the title in some way.

TT/CC is an initialized mnemonic which some teachers might call an acronym. We use TT/CC to help us remember a very important stylistic requirement in our writing. 

TT/CC stands for Title / Topic / Clincher / Connection

Let's break it down:
Title = the title of your essay.

Topic = the FIRST sentence of your essay

Clincher = the LAST sentence of your essay.

Connection = 

The title must connect with either the topic or clincher sentence (at least one)

The topic and clincher sentences must have a connection with each other.

This way they connect can be described as REPEAT,  REFLECT,  or  REFRACT

REPEAT = simply repeating the sentence (or a very close to an exact repetition).

REPEAT example: 
TOPIC SENTENCE (first sentence of an essay)
 Cheerios saved his life! 
CLINCHER SENTENCE (last sentence of the essay)  
He would always be grateful that Cheerios saved his life. 

 OR

 

TOPIC SENTENCE (first sentence of an essay) 

Her mother told her that bright colors brought her luck. 

CLINCHER SENTENCE (last sentence of the essay)

Her mother was right; bright colors brought her luck. 

 

 

REFLECT = one sentence is the opposite of the other.

REFLECT example: 

TOPIC SENTENCE (first sentence of an essay)

The sun warmed her face in the early morning gently waking her from her sleep.

CLINCHER SENTENCE (last sentence of the essay)

The moon lulled her to sleep that night with a cool soft shaft of light that spilled across her bedroom ceiling.

sun is the opposite of moon
early morning is the opposite of night
waking her is the opposite of lulled her to sleep    

warmed her face is the opposite of across her bedroom ceiling

 

REFRACT = One sentence must share a word or two OR use synonyms to connect. 
It is easy to remember this kind of connection if you remember that the word "refract" can also mean to bend, whirl, or disperse. These sentence connect in creative ways, using pieces of each other or synonyms or references to each other.

REFRACT example: 

TOPIC SENTENCE (first sentence of an essay)

Atop his trusty steed, the knight never lost control of his temper in a jousting match.

CLINCHER SENTENCE (last sentence of the essay)

The gallant warrior rode into the night in perfect control of his emotions.

Atop his trusty steed = rode into the night  --> both sentences describe a knight riding his horse 

knight = gallant warrior --> these both describe the main character in the same way with slightly different wording. Perhaps the wording at the end describes him after a great battle or quest. He is now "gallant," but he is still a knight. 

never lost control of his temper = in perfect control of his emotions  --> These are different words used to describe and reiterate his demeanor

______________________________________________________________

TT/CC stands for Title / Topic / Clincher / Connection

TT/CC is a powerful rhetorical technique. It is used in writing as well as in speeches. It is also important to understand in literature analysis and poetry.

Once you have mastered this strategy, your writing will forever be improved.