Carol's Responses in WyzAnt Answers

I've found two ways for my high school students to understand what a thesis statement is. 

Think of it as the sentence that drives the entire paper.  You know what the topic sentence of a paragraph is, right?  Well, think of the thesis statement as the topic sentence for the entire paper.  When my students are at the stage of writing that you are, I recommend that they have a 3-part thesis statement.  For example, let's say your teacher wanted you to write a persuasive paper convincing your readers that the halls in your school should be painted a different color.  You want the color to be blue.  After a brief introductory paragragh, your thesis might be:  The school halls should be painted blue because this is a calming color, it is the color of our mascot, and it provides a better coverage for the walls.

Obviously you'd never write such a paper, but I hope the basic example helps you to have a "formula" to go by.  Good luck!

It is not wrong to write in passive voice unless your grade depends upon writing in active voice.  If your teacher is teaching you to write for a standardized test, he or she likely wants you to stay in active voice.  Active voice is more interesting, more effective, and often easier to read.