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ESSAY TYPES 1

The five-paragraph essay

The five-paragraph essay is the classic format for compositions.

It is not the only format for writing an essay, bt it is a sefl mo!el to "eep in min! whenyo are beginning to learn the process of writing.

Strctre

Introduction + thesis

Body (3 paragraphs) - Each paragraph begins with a topic sentence.

A topic sentencestates the main i!ea of the paragraph an! helps ma"e transition from the

paragraph before it.

All three paragraphs of the bo!y shol! be relate! to the thesis state! in the intro!ction.

Conclusion restates the thesis an! smmari#es the three main points from the bo!y.

Description Essay

In a !escription essay, yo write what a person, place or thing is li"e.

Yo organi#e the essay by !escribing !ifferent parts or aspects of the main sb$ect.

E.g. %rite an essay !escribing polar bear.

Intro!ction& Intro!ce what polar bear is.

'o!y ( spporting paragraphs&

)escribe where the polar bear lives.

)escribe the bo!y of the polar bear. )escribe what the polar bear eats.

*onclsion& Smmari#e what the polar bear is.

Argumentative Essay

In this "in! of essay, we not only give information bt also present an argment with the

P+S spporting i!eas an! */S opposing i!eas of an isse.

%e shol! clearly ta"e or stan! an! write as if we are trying to persa!e an opposing

a!ience to a!opt new beliefs or behavior.

The primary ob$ective is to persa!e people to change beliefs that many of them !o not

want to change.

*hoosing an argmentative topic is not an easy tas". The topic&

shouldbe narrowed down

X0ari$ana shol! be consi!ere! illegal. /ot a goo! topic becase it is too general.

Selling an! sing mari$ana in pblic places shol! be consi!ere! illegal.

it should contain an argument

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XAre yo one of those who thin"s cheating is not goo! for st!ents a 2estion cannot be

an argment

*heating helps st!ents learn.

it should be a topic that can be adequately supported with statistics, otsi!e sorce

citations, etc.

XI feel that writing an argmentative essay is !efinitely a challenging tas". feelingscannot be spporte!3 we cannot persa!e other people

Structure

Model A

Introduction

It shol! contain a brief e4planation of yor topic, some bac"gron! information an! the

thesis.

Bodyan e4ample

*on argments against

Pro argments arge yor point sing sorces an! e4amples

Conclusion smmari#e yor argments.

!ample "odel #

$hesis& Stress is goo! for hman bo!y.

Introduction&

Attention-getter. 5ive some bac"gron! information on stress. State yor thesis.

Body&

*on argments ( why !o some people believe stress is ba! for yor bo!y

Pro argments ( prove why stress is actally goo! for yor bo!y. Spport yor argmentswith references.

Conclusion& Smmari#e why yor position is correct.

Model B

Introduction

Body

*on argment 1 ( reftation proving con argment wrong

*on argment 6 ( reftation

*on argment 7 ( reftation

Conclusion

!ample "odel B

$hesis& 8aceboo" alienates people.

Introduction& Attention-getter. 5ive some bac"gron! information on 8aceboo". State yor

thesis.

Body&

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Paragraph 1&

*on argment 1 ( 8aceboo" helps yo stay in toch with people - +eftation& It cannot

replace face-to-face contact.

Paragraph 6&

*on argment 6 ( Yo can meet new people sing 8aceboo" - +eftation& People yo

meet may not be who they say they are. Paragraph 7& *on argment 7 - +eftation

Conclusion& Smmari#e why yor position is correct.

Presenting argments pro an! con means giving evi!ence spporting the points yo ma!e.

Evi!ence ta"es several forms&

Facts / statistics( commonly accepte! trths in wor!s or nmbers

e.g. %e are trying to arge that the law re2iring st!ents to finish high school shol! be

passe!.

Spporting fact&In %&&' high school dropouts accounted or %*&&& elonies nationwide

Authorities( the opinions an! i!eas of e4perts in the fiel! e.g. #ttorney ,eneral has said .$een dropouts increase their ris/ o ser0ing prison time by

3*1 2e need a ederal law to /eep these /ids in school

Examples( specific illstrations e.g.

4ansas decreased crime in that state by '1 the year it enacted a law to /eep teens in

school till graduation

Anecdotes( brief stories e.g.

"y best riend dropped out o school at the end o his second year and was dealing drugs

till he was arrested two months ago

Scenarios( 9what-if: sitations, speclating abot cases an! effects e.g.

I we continue to let students drop out o high school many will slide into po0erty #s theygrow older and become parents their children will ollow their e!ample.

ause and Effect Essay

*ase an! effect essays are concerne! with why things happen cases an! what happens

as a reslt effects.

e.g. *ases of air polltion mltiple factors lea!ing to air polltion.

e.g. Effects of watching too mch T; many effects of a sitation.

%e nee! to !istingish between case an! effect.

To !etermine cases, as",

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Sggeste! strctre&

Intro!ction with a thesis

)escription of the cases

)escription of the effects

*onclsion

9*ase: an! 9effect: sections can also be mi4e! e.g. in one paragraph yo e4plain one case

an! its effect, contining in the same way in the ne4t 6-7 paragraphs.

!ample

Topic& $he eects o ast ood on our li0es

Intro!ction&

)escribe what people se! to eat in the past.

)escribe what people eat now fast foo!. Thesis& This change has ha! a negative effect on or lives.

'o!y&

5st paragraph causes

?ifestyle long hors at wor", women wor"ing

0ore money people eat otsi!e more

0o!ern life a!vertising, new things, !esire for a change

%nd paragraph eects

>ealth obesity, heart !isease, !iabetes

8amilies not spen!ing time together

Economic effects waste of money, fast foo! chains

*onclsion&

Present both si!es 8ast foo! is tasty, bt@

8tre