What is an essay?
An essay is a short piece of writing about one topic. It shares information, explains an idea, tells about an experience or argues an opinion. Essays are organized in paragraphs, and each paragraph has a clear job.
You will write many kinds of essays in school, but almost all of them follow the same basic shape. Once you learn it, you can write about any topic.
Kinds of essays
| Type | Purpose | Example topic |
|---|---|---|
| Narrative | tells a true story from your life | The day I learned to swim |
| Descriptive | paints a picture of a person, place or thing | My grandmother’s kitchen |
| Expository (informational) | explains or teaches | How bees make honey |
| Persuasive (opinion) | convinces the reader | Why recess should be longer |
| Compare and contrast | shows similarities and differences | Cats versus dogs as pets |
The five-paragraph essay
A classic way to organize an essay is the five-paragraph structure:
- Introduction
- Body paragraph 1
- Body paragraph 2
- Body paragraph 3
- Conclusion
Think of it like a hamburger. The introduction and conclusion are the buns. The body paragraphs are the filling.
The introduction
The introduction has three parts:
- A hook to grab the reader’s attention: a question, a surprising fact, a short story or a quotation.
- Background that gives a little information about the topic.
- The thesis statement.
The thesis statement
The thesis statement is the most important sentence in your essay. It tells the reader your main point. Often it also previews your three reasons or ideas.
Dogs make excellent pets because they are loyal, they help their owners stay active, and they are fun to train.
Everything in the essay should support this sentence.
Body paragraphs
Each body paragraph explains one idea from your thesis. A strong body paragraph has:
- A topic sentence that states the main idea of the paragraph.
- Evidence or examples: facts, details, quotations or experiences.
- Explanation that shows how the evidence supports your point.
- A closing or linking sentence.
Example body paragraph:
First, dogs are very loyal. They greet their owners at the door and stay close when someone is sad. My dog, Biscuit, always lies next to me when I’m sick. This loyalty makes dogs wonderful companions.
The topic sentence here is First, dogs are very loyal.
The conclusion
The conclusion wraps up your essay. It should:
- Restate the thesis in new words.
- Sum up the main points.
- End with a final thought: a lesson, a call to action, or a look to the future.
Do not add brand-new ideas in the conclusion.
In conclusion, dogs are loyal, active and trainable companions. Anyone looking for a friend who will make every day better should consider adopting a dog.
Transitions
A transition connects ideas so your essay flows smoothly.
| Purpose | Transitions |
|---|---|
| Adding ideas | first, second, also, in addition, another |
| Giving examples | for example, for instance, such as |
| Showing contrast | however, on the other hand, but |
| Showing results | as a result, so, therefore |
| Concluding | in conclusion, finally, to sum up |
The writing process
- Plan. Choose a topic and brainstorm ideas. Make an outline or graphic organizer.
- Draft. Write your ideas in full paragraphs. Don’t worry about perfection.
- Revise. Make it better: is the thesis clear? Does every paragraph support it? Are there strong examples?
- Edit. Fix spelling, punctuation, capitals and grammar.
- Publish. Write or type a neat final copy.
Common mistakes
- No clear thesis. The reader shouldn’t have to guess your main point.
- Paragraphs with more than one main idea. One idea per body paragraph.
- Examples without explanation. Tell the reader why your evidence matters.
- New ideas in the conclusion. Put them in a body paragraph instead.
- Skipping revision. Your first draft is a start, not the finish.
Try it yourself
Write a thesis statement with three reasons for one of these topics:
- Why everyone should learn to swim
- The best season of the year
- Why reading is important
Then write the topic sentence for each of your three body paragraphs.
Quick recap
- An essay is organized writing about one topic.
- The introduction hooks the reader and gives the thesis statement.
- Each body paragraph has a topic sentence, evidence and explanation.
- The conclusion restates the thesis and ends with a final thought.
- Transitions help ideas flow.