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ESL Essay Writing: 7 Important Tips

“Every good story has a beginning, a middle and an end.”

This is true for a good essay, too.

An essay needs a coherent structure to successfully articulate its arguments. Strong preparation and planning is crucial to providing that structure.

Of course, essay writing can be challenging for ESL students. They must order their thoughts and construct their arguments—all in their second language.

So, here are seven ESL essay writing tips that will allow your students to weave together a coherent and persuasive essay, plus teacher resources for writing activities, prompts and lessons!

1. Build the Essay Around a Central Question

2. use the traditional 5-paragraph essay structure, 3. plan the essay carefully before writing, 4. encourage research and rewriting, 5. practice utilizing repetition, 6. aim to write a “full circle” essay, 7. edit the essay to the end, esl essay writing resources.

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Encourage your students to build all their writing around one central question.

That central question is the engine of the writing—it should drive everything!

If a word or sentence is not assisting that forward motion toward the explication of that question and its possible answers, then it needs to be reworded, rephrased or just plain cut out and discarded.

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Lean writing is merciless. Focusing on a central question throughout the prewriting, writing and rewriting stages helps develop the critical faculties required to discern what to keep and what to throw away.

Providing a clear structure for the student to approach essay writing can do a lot to build their confidence. The 5-paragraph essay, or “hamburger” essay, provides that clear structure for ESL writers.

Generally, this structure employs five separate paragraphs for the entire essay. Each paragraph serves a specific purpose, melding together to form a coherent whole:

Paragraph 1: The introductory paragraph. This includes the thesis statement, orientating the reader to the purpose of the essay.
Paragraphs 2 to 4: The body paragraphs. These make individual points that are further backed up by various forms of evidence.
Paragraph 5: The conclusion paragraph. This provides a summation of the arguments and a final statement of the thesis.

While students do not need to rigidly follow this format forever, the simple structure outlined above can serve as excellent training wheels for your writers.

Using the 5-paragraph structure as outlined above makes planning clear cut.

Once they have their theses and are planning their paragraphs, share with the students the ridiculously useful acronym P.E.E. This stands for Point, Explanation and Evidence.

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Each body paragraph should make a point or argument in favor of the central thesis, followed by an explanation of this point and relevant evidence to back it up.

Students can make note of all their points, explanations and evidence before they start writing them in essay form. This helps take away some of the pressure ESL writers feel when faced with a blank page.

Extol the necessity for students to constantly refer to their planning. The mind-mapping techniques popularized by Tony Buzan can be useful at the planning stage and make for easy reference points to ensure focus is maintained throughout the essay.

Having a visual reference such as this can help ensure that your student-writers see each piece of the whole as well as that elusive “bigger picture,” so it becomes a case of seeing the forest and the trees!

Just as planning is crucial, so too is research.

Often ideas or connections do not occur until the writing process has begun. This is a good thing! Essay writing is a creative act, so students can have more ideas along the way and work them in as they go.

The key is to always be able to back up these ideas. Students who have done their research on their subject will be much more confident and articulate in expressing their arguments in their writing.

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One way you can help students with context and research is to show relevant video content via FluentU . This language learning program uses authentic videos made by and for native speakers to help students learn English.

You can watch videos as a class or assign them directly to students for individual viewing. Videos come equipped with interactive bilingual subtitles and other learning tools such as multimedia flashcards and personalized quizzes so you can see how each student is doing.

No matter how your students do their research, the important thing is that they explore and understand their topic area before beginning the big task of writing their essay.

Even with thorough planning and research, writing oneself into a linguistic cul-de-sac is a common error. Especially with higher-level students, unforeseen currents can pull the student-writer off course.

Sometimes abandoning such a sentence helps. Going back to the drawing board and rewriting it is often best.

Students can be creative with their sentence structures when expressing simpler ideas and arguments. However, when it comes to more complex concepts, help them learn to use shorter sentences to break their arguments into smaller, more digestible chunks.

Essay writing falls firmly in the camp of non-fiction. However, that doesn’t mean that essay writers can’t use some of the techniques more traditionally associated with fiction, poetry and drama .

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One technique that’s particularly useful in essay writing is repetition. Just as poetry relies heavily on rhythm, so too does argument. Repetition can provide that sense of rhythm.

This is because written language has its origins in oral language. Think of the great orators and demagogues and their use of repetition. Speechwriters, too, are well aware of the power of repetition.

The writing principle of the “rule of 3” states that ideas expressed in these terms are more convincing and memorable. This is true of both spoken and written words and the ideas they express. Teach your students to use this method in their essay writing.

The very structure of the 5-paragraph essay lends itself to planning for this repetition, in fact. Each idea that is explored in a body paragraph should be outlined first in the introductory paragraph.

Then, the single body paragraph devoted to the idea will explore it at greater length, supported by evidence. And the third rap of the hammer occurs in the summation of the concluding paragraph, driving the point securely and convincingly home.

As mentioned at the start of this post, every good essay has a beginning, a middle and an end.

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Each point made, explained and supported by evidence is a step toward what the writing teacher Roy Peter Clark calls “closing the circle of meaning.”

In planning for the conclusion of the essay, the students should take the opportunity to reaffirm their position. By referring to the points outlined in the introduction and driving them home one last time, the student-writer is bringing the essay to a satisfying full circle.

This may be accomplished by employing various strategies: an apt quotation, referring to future consequences or attempting to inspire and mobilize the reader.

Ending with a succinct quotation has the double benefit of lending some authoritative weight to the argument while also allowing the student to select a well-written, distilled expression of their central thesis. This can make for a strong ending, particularly for ESL students.

Often the essay thesis will suggest its own ending. If the essay is structured around a problem, it’s frequently appropriate to end the essay by offering solutions to the problem and outlining potential consequences if those solutions are not followed.

In the more polemical type of essay, the student may end with a call to arms, a plea for action on the part of the reader.

The strategy chosen by the student will depend largely on what fits the central thesis of their essay best.

For the ESL student, the final edit is especially important.

It offers a final chance to check form and meaning. For all writers, this process can be daunting, but more so for language students.

Often, ESL students will use the same words over and over again due to a limited vocabulary. Encourage your students to employ a thesaurus in the final draft before submission. This will freshen up their work, making it more readable, and will also increase their active vocabulary in the long run!

Another useful strategy at this stage is to encourage students to read their work aloud before handing it in.

This can be good pronunciation practice , but it also provides an opportunity to listen for grammatical errors. Further, it helps students hear where punctuation is required in the text, helping the overall rhythm and readability of the writing.

To really help your students become master essay writers, you’ll want to provide them with plenty of opportunities to test and flex their skills.

Writing prompts and exercises are a good place to start:

Descriptive writing activities encourage students to get creative and use their five senses, literary devices and diverse vocabulary. Read on for eight descriptive writing…

Giving good ESL writing prompts is important because inspiring prompts inspire students to write more and writing more is how they improve. Read this post to learn 50…

You’ll likely also want to teach them more about the mechanics of writing :

Are you looking for ESL writing skills to share with your ESL students? In this guide, you’ll find different ESL writing techniques, such as helping students understand…

Would you like to introduce journal writing into your ESL classes? Fantastic idea! Here are 9 essential tips to make it creative, engaging and fun.

Essays are a great way not only for students to learn how the language works, but also to learn about themselves.

Formulating thoughts and arguments about various subjects is good exercise for not only the students’ linguistic faculties, but also for understanding who they are and how they see the world.

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Kinds of Essay

What is an essay.

The word”essay” has been derived from a French word “essai”. The French philosopher Montaigne after his retirement devoted his life to study. He originated this form of composition and published his first collection of writing under the title of “essai” in 1580. Then an English philosopher “Bacon” followed him and published his collection of writing under the title of “essay” and kinds of essay. A short literary composition on a single subject is usually presenting the personal view of the author. Structure of Essay : In an essay, the writer writes his own personal views, thoughts, opinions, experiments and facts or extra information about the given topic.

There are six kinds of essay. 1. Descriptive Essay 2. Reflective Essay 3. Narrative Essay 4. Explanatory Essay 5. Imaginative Essay 6. Controversial/ Argumentative Essay

1. Descriptive Essay:

Describe (V) To say what a person or thing I like; Give a picture of someone/ something in words. Description (N) the act of writing or saying in words what someone/ something is like. Descriptive (Adj) the one who/ that describes. Definition: In the descriptive essay, the writer describes whatever he sees or hears about a person, place, thing or an animal. Descriptive essay is generally of concrete natures. Examples:

Person: (a leader, teacher, doctor, and actress etc.)
Place: (a country, city, village, town, school, college etc.)
Thing: (A car, bus, watch, door, lock, flag etc.)
Natural things: (snow, ice, rain, waterfall, river, the sky, the earth, sea etc.)
Animal: (a cow, goat, horse, dog etc.)

2. Reflective Essay:

Reflect (V) to think deeply about, to contemplate, to considerate. Reflection (N) thought, contemplation, consideration, meditation. Reflective (Adj) thoughtful, contemplative, meditative. Definition: In the reflective essay, the writer reflects on the topic. He forms different ideas and thoughts about topic in his mind, which is generally of an abstract nature. Examples:

Philosophical topic: (conscience, love, hatred, kindness, life etc.)
Religious topic: (death, soul, worship, power of prayer, recitation of the holy Quran etc.)
Social topic: (dowry, divorce, marriage, poverty, slavery, liberty etc.)
Merits and demerits: (bravery, cowardice, honesty, dishonesty, hospitality, discipline, unity etc.)

3. Narrative Essay:

Narrate (V) to give a written or spoken detail of an incident, accident or adventure, etc. Narration (N) the act of giving a written or spoken detail of incident, accident or adventure, etc. Narrative ( Adj) in the form of storytelling. Definition: In the narrative essay, the writer narrates an accident, incident, a journey, tour or any historical event. Examples:

An accident: (bomb blast, train or bus collision)
Natural disaster: (earth quake, flood, fire)
Incident: (street fighting, relative’s death)
Any story real or unreal
Journey, your, walk etc.
Biography of a well known personality

4. Expository/ Explanatory Essay:

Expose (V) to explain Exposition (V) explanation Expository (Adj) explanatory Definition: In the expository essay, the writer explains/ exposes the topic. Examples:

Industries: (Sugar mill, cotton mill, flour mill etc.)
Departments: (senate, parliament)
Occupation: (medical, engineering, etc.)
Scientific topics: (functioning of TV, radio, wireless, telephone, fax, computer)
Quotations/ sayings: (mother is the first teacher, if there is a will, there is a way)

5. Imaginative Essay:

Imagine (V) to form a mental picture of something. Imagination (N) the act of imagining. Imaginative (Adj) showing imagination, full of imagination. Definition: In the imaginative essay, the writer imagines about a topic. Examples:

If I were you.
If I were rich.
If I were a king.
If I were the P.M of Australia.
“What would you do?”
If I were you, I would …

6. Controversial/ argumentative Essay: Argue (V) to give reasons (for or against something). Argument (N) reasons (for or against something). Argumentative (Adj) Controversial. Definition: In the argumentative essay, the writer argues for and against the topic. Examples:

Who is responsible for the down fall of education?
TV is blessing or curse.
Love marriage or arrange marriage.
Village life or city life.

Difference between Essays

Essays have been divided into different kinds: for example; descriptive essay, reflective essay, imaginative essay, argumentative essay, explanatory essay and narrativ e, but while writing these kinds cannot be limited only and only up to one kind. One kind may share with the peculiarities if another kind, for example: a narrative essay may have a good deal of description and as the writer shares his own feelings, ideas, thoughts and knowledge so every kind has to be more or less reflective. Question: Which topic essay can be written on? An essay can be written on each and everything, either that is of an abstract or concrete nature, a living or non-living thing, the smallest or the biggest thing in the world. Examples:

Almighty Allah
An elephant

Essay Examples & Writing Tips for ESL/EFL Students (updated 2024)

In this lesson you will find simple essay examples for ESL, EFL and university students. Additional writing tips also show how to write a proper essay with minimal mistakes.

Writing essays is a powerful way to improve your language skills and express your thoughts. In our article, “Essay Examples for ESL/EFL Students,” we embark on a journey through the world of essays, offering you valuable examples and insights to help you gain confidence in your English writing abilities.

Essay Examples and Tips For ESL Students

Sample essay 1. my hobby.

My favorite hobby is playing drums. I spend a lot of my free time playing drums. I started learning to play drums when I was 9 years old. I played in my school’s band. When I was 12, I got a private drum teacher and started to really enjoy playing.

My parents bought me a drum set and I started practicing every day after school. It was very loud, but my mother never complained. I improved a lot, and playing drums has been my favorite hobby ever since.

Now, I play drums in a band with my friend Dan, who plays guitar. We write songs, perform, and practice twice a week. It’s still as fun as it was when I first started playing!

Answer these questions in your essay:

What is your hobby? When did you start doing this hobby? Why do you like doing this hobby? How did you learn this hobby? When do you usually do this hobby? How often do you do this hobby?(every day, one a week, twice a month, on weekends, etc.)

Use this sentence pattern in your essay: start/stop verb+ing I started playing basketball when I was 5 years old. I started reading novels when I was very young

Sentence pattern: verb+ing

When you put a verb after start , begin , stop , finish , or quit , you must add “ ‐ing ”

Examples: I started studying English in 3rd grade. I finished writing my homework at 11:00 last night. My father quit smoking because it is unhealthy. We began dating when we met last year.

Check Also: Essay Writing Tips & How to Avoid Typical Mistakes Short Essay Examples for ESL Students 20 Useful Vocabulary & Phrases to Start Your Essay Argumentative Essay Topics With Points for Students

SAMPLE ESSAY 2. My Favorite Place

Usually when you ask people what their favorite place is, they will talk about a distant place – maybe a beach or a beautiful mountain. But my favorite place is not far away at all. My favorite place is the forest behind my house.

Although the forest behind my house is not very big, when I was little I thought it was huge! There are so many interesting places to play and hide. I can sit on the big rocks and have a picnic, I can climb the tall trees, or I can look for lizards and other little animals.

Even though I have played there many times, I can still spend all afternoon running, playing, and hiking in the forest behind my house.

The forest behind my house is a magical place. If I am in a bad mood, I will go there to be alone and think. When I was little, I liked to imagine that there were magical people who lived in the forest. When I grow up and have children, I hope that they can live near such a special place, too.

Sentence pattern: (not) …at all “at all” means “not even a little”, and you usually put it at the end of a negative sentence (a sentence with “not”).

Example: Brian: Are you hungry: Dave: I just ate dinner. I’m not hungry at all.

Check Also: Essay Writing Tips & How to Avoid Typical Mistakes ✅ Useful Academic Expressions & Phrases For Essay Writing

SAMPLE ESSAY 3. My Best Friend

A best friend is a person you can count on, someone who will always be there to put a smile on your face when you need it. This is why I call Nathan my best friend.

I first met Nathan in second grade. His family just moved here from another town and he didn’t have any friends. We started talking, and one day I went to his house to play video games. Soon, we were hanging out every day, and we stayed at each other’s houses on the weekends.

Nathan and I have a lot in common. We both like jokes, and we both love to play soccer. In summer, we go to the swimming pool and eat ice cream cones. Next year, we are going to learn to play tennis together.

Best of all, I can tell Nathan my secrets, and I know he won’t tell anyone. I call him my best friend because I trust him, because he is a lot of fun, and because we like the same things. I hope our friendship lasts forever!

Sentence pattern: [Subject] lasts [amount of time]

Use this to describe how long something is (how long it “lasts”)

Examples: That is a long movie. It lasts almost 3 hours . Summer vacation lasts about 2 months . The cell phone battery lasts about 1 year . After 1 year, you will need to buy a new one. When my girlfriend broke up with me, she said, “ Nothing lasts forever .”

SAMPLE ESSAY 4. Trip to the Zoo

Going to the zoo is a fun and interesting way to spend a day. The last time I went to the zoo was two months ago, during summer vacation. I went with my mother, father, and sister, and it was a trip that I will never forget.

We saw all kinds of animals at the zoo. We saw monkeys, snakes, and even a lion! In addition, there were birds, lizards, and several different kinds of fish. We got to see an eel, and octopus, and a small shark. My favorite animal was the elephant. It was so huge! We fed the elephants peanuts, and it sprayed us with water!

Although the zoo is very exciting, sometimes it makes me sad to see all the animals in cages. They cannot walk, run, or fly freely. However, it is good that people can go to the zoo and learn about these animals. Therefore, I’m glad we have such a nice zoo in my city

Essay Writing Tips For ESL students:

Writing essays might seem tricky, but with a few simple tips, you can make it easier and better. Especially if English is not your first language, here are some straightforward suggestions:

Start with a Plan: Before you begin writing, take a moment to think about your main ideas. Make a simple outline with your introduction, main points, and conclusion. It’s like making a roadmap for your essay.
Use Simple Words: Don’t try to impress with big words. It’s better to use words you know well. Simple words can be just as effective and make your writing clearer.
One Idea per Paragraph: Each paragraph should talk about one main idea. This makes your essay organized and easy to follow. Start a new paragraph when you move to a new topic.
Check for Mistakes: After you finish writing, go back and check for mistakes. Look for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. It’s a small step, but it makes a big difference.
Connect Your Ideas: Use words like “but,” “and,” and “so” to connect your ideas. This helps your writing flow smoothly. Remember to put a comma after these words at the beginning of a sentence.
Read Out Loud: After you’ve written your essay, read it out loud. This helps you catch mistakes and see if your sentences sound right.
Keep It Simple: Stick to the point. Don’t make your sentences too long or complicated. It’s better to have short, clear sentences.

Common Mistakes in English and How to Fix Them (PDF)

Positive Adjectives to Describe a Person (PDF)

The 100 Most Common Words in English (PDF)

Thanks for the essay examples

Hello Fahim, could we have a friendship with you?

Writing an essay

Topic outline.

The purpose of an essay is to present an argument or point of view and give examples or reasons to support it.

The topic will be a question or an issue which people generally have different opinions about.

The essay could present both sides of the argument, or just one, depending on the instructions given in the task.

An essay should be written in a formal or neutral register and should be well organised, with an introduction, main body and a conclusion. It should include language appropriate for expressing opinions, agreeing and disagreeing. The vocabulary required will depend upon the topic.

think about the audience that the essay is for
the tone of most essays should be neutral or formal
your essay should clearly present opinions related to the topic
include a range of grammatical structures and related vocabulary
avoid writing very simple sentences with the same grammatical structures and simple repetitive vocabulary.

An essay should be well organised, with an introduction, main body and a conclusion. It should include well-developed ideas.

You should use linking words/phrases which suit a more formal type of writing (e.g. furthermore, however, in conclusion, etc.) to link ideas in sentences and paragraphs.

One way to structure your essay is to have a balanced argument focusing on one side of the argument, then on the other side of the argument:

Introduction – briefly outline the argument that the essay will discuss. Engage the reader to make them interested in the topic, for example, ask a rhetorical question to make a point and create a stronger effect.
Present one side of the argument. Support your ideas with examples and/or reasons.
Present the other side of the argument. Support your ideas with examples and/or reasons.
Conclusion – this should briefly summarise what you have said and what you think about the argument. You can link your conclusion back to the beginning and/or encourage the reader to decide what they think about the same viewpoint.

Alternatively, an essay can be one-sided. You present one side of the argument, supported with examples and/or reasons. In this case, the organisation of your essay would be the same as above, with either one extended paragraph for the main body, or two or more shorter paragraphs each presenting a different reason to support your point of view.

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Guide to Different Kinds of Essays

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An essay is a paper that discusses, describes or analyzes one topic. It can discuss a subject directly or indirectly, seriously or humorously. It can describe personal opinions, or just report information. An essay can be written from any perspective, but essays are most commonly written in the first person ( I ), or third person (subjects that can be substituted with the he, she, it, or they pronouns).

There are many different kinds of essays. The following are a some of the most common ones:

Descriptive Cause/Effect Argumentative Definition Narrative Critical Compare/Contrast Process

Descriptive:

Examples: A descriptive essay could describe . . .

The descriptive essay provides details about how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, makes one feel, or sounds. It can also describe what something is, or how something happened. These essays generally use a lot of sensory details. The essay could be a list-like description that provides point by point details. Or, it could function as a story, keeping the reader interested in the plot and theme of the event described.

Definition:

Examples: A definition essay may try and define . . .

A definition essay attempts to define a specific term. It could try to pin down the meaning of a specific word, or define an abstract concept. The analysis goes deeper than a simple dictionary definition; it should attempt to explain why the term is defined as such. It could define the term directly, giving no information other than the explanation of the term. Or, it could imply the definition of the term, telling a story that requires the reader to infer the meaning.

Compare/Contrast:

Examples:A compare/contrast essay may discuss . . .

The compare/contrast essay discusses the similarities and differences between two things, people, concepts, places, etc. The essay could be an unbiased discussion, or an attempt to convince the reader of the benefits of one thing, person, or concept. It could also be written simply to entertain the reader, or to arrive at an insight into human nature. The essay could discuss both similarities and differences, or it could just focus on one or the other. A comparison essay usually discusses the similarities between two things, while the contrast essay discusses the differences.

Cause/Effect:

Examples:A cause/effect essay may explain . . .

The cause/effect essay explains why or how some event happened, and what resulted from the event.

This essay is a study of the relationship between two or more events or experiences. The essay could discuss both causes and effects, or it could simply address one or the other. A cause essay usually discusses the reasons why something happened. An effect essay discusses what happens after a specific event or circumstance.

The example below shows a cause essay, one that would explain how and why an event happened.

If this cause essay were about a volcanic eruption, it might go something like this: “Pressure and heat built up beneath the earth’s surface; the effect of this was an enormous volcanic eruption.”

The next example shows an effect essay, one that would explain all the effects that happened after a specific event, like a volcanic eruption.

If this effect essay were about a volcanic eruption again, it might go something like this:

“The eruption caused many terrible things to happen; it destroyed homes, forests, and polluted the atmosphere.”

Examples:A narrative essay could tell of . . .

The narrative essay tells a story. It can also be called a “short story.” Generally, the narrative essay is conversational in style and tells of a personal experience. It is most commonly written in the first person (uses I ). This essay could tell of a single, life-shaping event, or simply a mundane daily experience.

Examples: A process essay may explain . . .

A process essay describes how something is done. It generally explains actions that should be performed in a series. It can explain in detail how to accomplish a specific task, or it can show how an individual came to a certain personal awareness. The essay could be in the form of step-by-step instructions, or in story form, with the instructions/explanations subtly given along the way.

Argumentative:

Examples: An argumentative essay may persuade a reader that . . .

An argumentative essay is one that attempts to persuade the reader to the writer’s point of view. The writer can either be serious or funny, but always tries to convince the reader of the validity of his or her opinion. The essay may argue openly, or it may attempt to subtly persuade the reader by using irony or sarcasm.

Examples: A critical essay may analyze . . .

A critical essay analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, and methods of someone else’s work. Generally, these essays begin with a brief overview of the main points of the text, movie, or piece of art, followed by an analysis of the work’s meaning. It should then discuss how well the author/creator accomplishes his/her goals and makes his/her points. A critical essay can be written about another essay, story, book, poem, movie, or work of art.

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4.3: Types of Essays and Suggested Structures

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Introduction

The structural organization of an essay will vary, depending on the type of writing task you’ve been assigned. Below are outline templates for specific types of writing projects. Keep in mind these are just a starting point: there is always room for variation and creativity in how a subject is most effectively presented to a reader.

Analytical essay

This is perhaps the most common structure. Examples of this include questions which ask you to discuss , analyze , investigate , explore, or review . In an analytical structure you are required to break the topic into its different components and discuss these in separate paragraphs or sections, demonstrating balance where possible.

Background information on topic
Overall point of view of the topic (thesis)
Overview of components to be discussed (structure)
Topic sentence outlining first component
Sentences giving explanations and providing evidence to support topic sentence
Concluding sentence – link to next paragraph
Topic sentence outlining second component
Sentences giving explanations and providing evidence to back topic sentence
These follow the same structure for as many components as you need to outline
Summary of the main points of the body
Restatement of the main point of view
Justification/evaluation (if required by task)

Argumentative essay

Examples of this type of essay include questions which ask you to take a position on a topic, such as a particular decision or policy, and present arguments which support your position. An effective way to argue a point can be to present the opposing view first then counter this view with stronger evidence.

Statement of your position on the topic (thesis)
Overview of arguments to be presented (structure)
Topic sentence outlining first argument
Topic sentence outlining second argument
These follow the same structure for as many arguments as you wish to put forward in support of the topic.
Restatement of the position

Interpretive essay

Examples of this type of essay include assignments where you are given data such as a case study or scenario, a diagram, graphical information, or a picture and expected to interpret this information to demonstrate your application of knowledge when answering the task. Based on this data, you may be asked to do a range of things such as provide recommendations or solutions, develop a nursing care plan, a teaching plan, suggest legal advice, or plan a marketing strategy.

Brief background information on topic
Overview of issues to be addressed in the essay (structure)
State overall interpretation (thesis)
Topic sentence outlining first issue identified from the data
Sentences giving further explanation and providing evidence from both the literature and the data, e.g. the case study to support the topic sentence (it is very important in this types of essays to make reference to the data you have been supplied to give your essay context).
Topic sentence outlining second issue identified
These follow the same structure for as many issues as you wish to discuss from the data you have been supplied.
Statement of overall interpretation
Summary of the main issues from the data supplied
Make recommendations or suggest solutions to address the issues arising from the data supplied.

Comparative essay

Examples of this type of essay include compare , compare and contrast , or differentiate questions. In this structure the similarities and/or differences between two or more items (for example, theories or models) are discussed paragraph by paragraph. Your assignment task may require you to make a recommendation about the suitability of the items you are comparing.

Outline of two (or more) things being compared or contrasted
Purpose for making the comparison / contrast
Overview of the specific points to be compared / contrasted
Topic sentence outlining first similarity or difference
Topic sentence outlining second similarity or different
These follow the same structure for as many items or aspects as you need to compare/contrast
Restatement of the main purpose for the comparison / contrast
Summary of the main similarities and differences
Recommendation about suitability of compared items for purpose (if requirement of assessment task)
Overall conclusion

Problem and solution essay

These essay questions often require you to structure your answer in several parts. An example may be to ask you to investigate a problem and explore a range of solutions. You may also be asked to choose the best solution and justify your selection, so allow space for this in your essay if needed.

Background information about the problem
Description of the problem and why it is serious
Overview of the solutions to be outlined
Topic sentence outlining first solution
Explanation of the positive and negative aspects of the solution
Evidence to support explanations
Concluding sentence
Topic sentence outlining second solution
Evidence to support explanation
These follow the same structure for as many solutions as you need to discuss
Summary of the problem and overview of the solutions
Evaluation of solutions and recommendation of best option

Note : Depending on the topic, body paragraphs in a problem and solution essay could be devoted to discussing the problem in more detail, as well as the solution. It’s up to the writer to assess the needs of the project, in order to decide how much time is spent on each part.

Cause and effect essay

Examples of this type of essay include questions which ask you to state or investigate the effects or outline the causes of the topic. This may be, for example, an historical event, the implementation of a policy, a medical condition, or a natural disaster. These essays may be structured in one of two ways: either the causes(s) of a situation may be discussed first followed by the effect(s), or the effect(s) could come first with the discussion working back to outline the cause(s). Sometimes with cause and effect essays you are required to give an assessment of the overall effects, such as on a community, a workplace, an individual. Space must be allocated for this assessment in your structure if needed.

Background information on situation under discussion
Description of the situation
Overview of the causes or effects to be outlined
Topic sentence outlining first cause or effect
Sentences giving explanations and providing evidence to support the topic sentence
Concluding sentence – linking to next paragraph
Topic sentence outlining second cause or effect
These follow the same structure for as many causes or effects as you need to outline
Conclusion, prediction or recommendation

Finally, consider that some essay assignments may ask you to combine approaches, especially in more advanced classes. At that point, you may have to vary your body paragraph strategy from section to section.

This chart gives an idea of what different roles paragraphs can play in a mixed-structure essay assignment.

Flow Chart. Central idea: Choosing Paragraph Patterns. Radiating from top right: Narration - introduction, to tell a story that makes a point, to give background on people or event, to show sequence of events. Process - to show steps of action, to explain how to do something. Example/Illustration - to clarify a point or concept, to give a picture or specific instance, to make the abstract real. Analogy - to compare scenarios, to compare to a settled outcome, to compare one event to another very different one. Definition - to clarify meaning, to set foundation of argument, to give background. Comparison/contrast - to draw distinction between items, to find common ground. Description - to give details, to create a picture. Cause/effect - to lead from one item to another, to argue logic of evidence of action. Classification/Division - to put items in categories, to clarify comparison of items in a category, to divide items by characteristics.

Figure $\PageIndex{1}$

Types and Examples of Essays: The Complete List

Essays are concise pieces of writing that present information in a comprehensible, straightforward manner. The traditional structure of an essay begins with an introduction, uses topic sentences, and concludes with a conclusion that restates the thesis.

Table of Contents

Diverse essay types demand different writing abilities, such as the ability to inject the figurative language into a personal essay to make it come to life or to critically analyze a complex issue in an analytical essay in order to find a solution.

The length and format of essays also vary, with some spanning pages and others neatly fitting into just a few paragraphs. Before you are required to write these types of essays, familiarize yourself with them. You will become a skilled essayist once you comprehend how they differ and how they are similar.

In this article, we provide you with a list of the most prevalent essay types.

Types of Essays with Examples

Understanding the different types of essays that make up the majority of your high school, college, and university assignments is a smart place to start when considering how to write one.

Essays can be categorized into a wide variety, but the four main types of essays are argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays. Let us take a detailed look at these four main types of essays with examples.

4 Major Types of Essay with Examples

The four primary methods/ types of essays that are typically required in academic settings are as follows (according to Purdue Online Writing Lab), and the majority of the essays you will ever write in your life will roughly fit into one of these categories:

The majority of the essays you will ever have to write in your existence will come under one of these four categories, which are the norm in academia.

These are four different ways to convey an essay’s idea rather than four unique essay genres. Of the nine conventional rhetorical modes, which also include techniques like classification and process analysis, these four are the most frequently employed.

1. Expository Essays

These are most likely the types of essays you may encounter and the standard essay style needed for exams.

When writing an expository essay, you will go deeper into a subject or issue to develop an idea, analyze supporting data, and then organize an “exposition” on the concept.

Depending on the writer’s objectives, expository essays can take a variety of forms including:

Descriptive or Definition Essays
Procedure or “How-To” Essays
Comparison Essays
Cause-and-Effect Essays
Problem/Solution Essays
Examples of Expository Essays

Watching The Thinderstoem

Over the open ocean, I observed a thunderstorm. Only thick, heavy clouds and a roiling tide could be seen at the start, and everything was quiet. I was standing on my balcony looking out toward the horizon when I heard a quiet thunderclap. The clouds began to shut over the following few minutes and reflected lightning lit up the undulating ocean. The sun was obscured by the thunderheads, casting shadows across the scene. For a very long period, there was calm.

I turned to look up just as the first thunderclap struck clearly. It shone against the sky and the water, and when I blink, I can see its outline in perfectly reversed colors. Thereafter, more. Thunder appeared to be struggling to keep up as it rumbled and stalled. Suddenly, the clouds appeared to be tearing apart, and patches of dazzling blue gleamed above the gloomy water.

I then looked down and observed the waves. Every bolt was met with a brief period of surface-spreading light. I could hear the waves smashing as they became more violent, rising high.

Then the rain started. It deluged the sea and soaked the sand all at once and in sheets. I could only see the lightning as bursts of light since the fog was so thick. The rain was so intense that it drowned out the thunder. Everything was rhythmic light and shadow, quiet and sound, and all five senses were combined into one experience.

It abruptly came to a standstill. The storm broke out. Clouds began to separate like curtains. Still falling, but much more subtly now. With the exception of one signature, it appeared as though there had never been a storm. A nearly ferociously vivid rainbow covered the sky and the lake. The horizon was once again visible.

Click here for an in-depth understanding of exploratory essays and how to write them ?????

2. Argumentative Essays

These essays are comparable to expository essays, but they are typically far more in-depth and support their arguments with well-researched qualitative and quantitative data (acquired via primary or secondary sources). An argumentative essay’s goal is to establish a viewpoint or position on a subject by offering justifications and proof.

An argumentative essay is typically written for a higher-level audience, such as high school or university. This implies that you will have to conduct some research, make some notes, and probably refer to your lecture notes.

Examples of Argumentative Essays

Having chocolate milk in class?

I disagree that chocolate milk should no longer be served in school cafeterias. Do people believe that chocolate milk's sugar content is unhealthy, according to Chocolate Milk in School Cafeterias? They want to remove it from the dining halls. This is not a smart move.

The options available to children purchasing lunches in the cafeteria are limited. They could be limited to a single main course or veggie. They can then select chocolate milk in place of white milk. They might eat extra potato chips, cookies, donuts, and other junk food if they are unable to make a decision. Many kids just purchase junk food for lunch.

Compared to Coke or Gatorade, chocolate milk is preferable. When bringing a lunch, children must purchase a beverage; instead of purchasing milk, these children might bring a sugary beverage.

Even though chocolate milk contains some sugar, it is still preferable to other beverages. It still has vitamins and minerals, so that's a plus. Although some kids just don't like white milk, I believe it is preferable for youngsters to at least drink some milk than none at all. The American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics both say this, and I agree!

For an in-depth understanding of argumentative essays, click here. ??????

3. Descriptive Essays

As the title suggests, the focus of this essay is language in general, specifically adjectives, similes, and metaphors. The goal of these essays is to describe the topic you are requested to write about as vividly as you can. You will need to include an introduction, body, and conclusion, just like in an expository essay.

A descriptive essay, however, differs from other types of writing since it requires you to describe a specific object in great detail. The other types of essays may include description, but they typically require a little more, such as an argument, whereas a descriptive essay only provides a detailed description of something, with the thing being described serving as the main focus rather than an argument.

Examples of Descriptive Essays

Parents' view of university education in my country

Teenagers in my nation do not work because they are too busy studying. For teenagers, playing the character of a student and a good student is paramount. Making your parents proud is crucial, as is competing for top colleges and employment.

Families and parents believe that it is crucial for kids to study very hard, very long, and without breaks in order to achieve the best grades possible. Only a small percentage of the population in my country can attend university since there are so few open spots.

Therefore, the pupils who perform best in school are the ones who attend universities. The top employment goes to students who attend the best universities. Choosing the right university will allow you to unwind.

It's crucial to make your parents happy. In the 1950s, while our nation was at war, our parents struggled mightily to rise above it. The nation was empty. Like in Japan, parents here put in long hours at work, and pupils here are expected to work hard. The family is honored for their labors. Top marks are crucial, so parents may be proud of their son's diligence.

Click here for more on descriptive essays ?????

4. Narrative Essays|

Again, a narrative essay is a more personal piece of writing where your point of view is made apparent to the reader, contrary to what the title might imply. These articles may take the form of stories or be referred to as “creative non-fiction.” In these essays, the first-person pronoun “I” is frequently used.

Narrative essays, which are frequently the closest thing to works of journalism, must also have a distinct introduction, body, and conclusion that are filled with brief language. You are probably well on your way to being a successful journalist if you are able to write a compelling narrative essay.

Examples of Narrative Essays

Thinking in a Systems Approach

A child's death is always tragic. Only a few hours after giving birth, one of my sisters lost her first two children, twins. I learned from how my family members handled this incident that even those who were raised with the same ideas and ideals might have very diverse perspectives on the world.

My sibling was delivered early. We weren't shocked to find that her first pregnancy would not proceed to term because she arrived a month early than she should have. However, the fact that the infants would arrive two months early rather than just one upset us.

We had little expectation that they would live a long life because their prospects of survival were slim. My role in the situation was quite limited because I lived several hundred km apart, but I worried and wept with everyone else. The full extent of my sorrow for my sister and the rest of my family did not reach me until a few years later when I saw my sister at a family reunion.

That's when I realized how much hope, disappointment, and grief those two little girls' incredibly brief lives had brought to our family. At that point, I genuinely felt sad for both my sister and myself.

At about the same time, I realized that our collective perspectives on the incident varied. My mother was at one extreme and I was at the other, creating a type of polarization.

I'm a devoted Mormon, as is my mother. We both hold the same beliefs about God, including that we were all in God's presence before coming to Earth, that God has a plan for our salvation, and that if we live righteously, we can return to God. We also hold to the doctrine of foreordination, which holds that God assigns particular individuals to particular jobs on Earth.

I eventually realized that our differences stemmed from what I like to refer to as system orientation. We both practice religion, however, my mother exclusively practices religion, whilst I also practice science. She believes that religion is the only rational and consistent explanation for everything, particularly the loss of a baby.

In my worldview, which integrates religion and science, God may exist, but he need not be in charge of everything. Many events, such as infant deaths, take place within his plan without being specifically mentioned in it. Understanding and respecting my mother's viewpoints as well as my own and feeling better about them are made possible by looking at it in this way.

Click here for an in-depth look at narrative essays ?????

There are 4 main types of essays

The 7 Other Types of Essays

Using one of these four rhetorical devices may be required of you when writing an essay. You might be required to write an argumentative essay on whether or not a new college policy should be implemented.

You would convey your stance by using persuasive writing tactics in your essay, such as by outlining your opinion of the proposed legislation and how it is likely to affect society.

You can better grasp the texts you work with by having a better understanding of the four primary forms of writing. When reading an essay, try to determine the writing style the author is using by focusing on the essay’s structure, tone, vocabulary, and method of presenting the main idea.

Here we analyze the 4 types of essays available:

Personal essays

Your emphasis in a personal essay is on something that has affected you personally. It may be a current issue, a historical occurrence, or a more comprehensive examination of how many situations and events have molded you into the person you are now.

Personal essays frequently use narrative writing strategies. However, depending on the subject matter and thesis of the essay, authors may also use expository or descriptive tactics. Argumentative, comical, and college application essays are just a few examples of different genres of writing that can overlap with personal essays.

Political essays

Some of the most well-known political essays may be familiar to you from what you studied in history class. These essays are works by eminent philosophers from the past and the present that address society and ideal forms of government.

In a political essay, the author discusses the current situation and suggests solutions, occasionally using historical examples of situations or solutions that are analogous to the current one. Political essays typically fall under the categories of informative or persuasive writing.

Compare-and-contrast essays

Essays that compare and contrast two things are probably one of the essay types that students write the most. In this style of essay, the author contrasts and compares two subjects in order to highlight the main distinctions and similarities between them.

The content of compare-and-contrast essays is typically revealed through the similarities the author draws, making them expository writing assignments. When comparisons are used to persuade the reader to adopt a particular perspective, they can also be considered persuasive writing pieces.

College (application) essays

Essays you write in college may not always qualify as college essays. Actually, you’ll write all of your college essays before you enroll in a college unless you later go to graduate school or another type of specialized academic program.

A concise personal essay that emphasizes your personality traits and life experiences that make you the perfect fit for the college to which you are applying is known as a college application essay or personal statement.

Analytical essays

Essays that analyze a topic in-depth focus on its essential elements and draw conclusions after carefully analyzing these elements. An analytical essay regarding a book’s topics or an argumentative essay’s ideas can be required of you. The purpose of analytical essays, which are examples of expository writing, is to present facts by interpreting content.

An analytical essay does not attempt to persuade the reader to adopt a particular viewpoint. Instead, the author gives a piece of media, such as a short story or movie, and analyzes its theme by going over the various ways it conveys that theme.

Argumentative essays

As the name implies, you argue in an argumentative essay.

You specifically make an argument for or against a certain viewpoint. For instance, your task might be to advocate for or against your school’s rule prohibiting students from enrolling in more than two AP courses annually and to back up your arguments with facts.

You might use statistics showing a correlation between a student’s enrollment in AP courses and their typical AP test results or the amount of homework an AP course requires to support your argument that it’s a good idea.

Argumentative essays that are well-written don’t rely on emotional appeal. Instead, they use evidence—statistics, facts, and logic—to persuade readers of the validity of their ideas. Argumentative essays are typical examples of persuasive writing.

Humorous essays

As the name suggests, this sort of essay aims to make the reader laugh and be entertained. A comical essay could describe an amusing incident in the author’s life or it might be a political essay that makes political commentary through satire. A humorous essay is one that is both entertaining and academic.

Essays that are humorous frequently rely more on tactics used in narrative writing, such as metaphors and descriptive language, than they do on other essay-writing strategies. Hilarious essays frequently take the form of descriptive articles that employ hyperbole, irreverence, or quirky language to communicate a humorous perspective on the subject matter.

We hope by reading to this point, you now know how to write an essay that gets all the accolades and grades you deserve.

What are you waiting for now that you are aware of the various essay types and how to compose them? Start working on your essay right away.

How to Write Expository Essays (and Elements)

How to Write a Compelling Argumentative Essay

How to Write a Descriptive Essay (Types and Tips)

Narrative Essays How to Write with Examples

Narrative Essays: Examples and How to Write them

Types of Essays

Writing Process: Organizing

Types of essays and suggested structures, introduction.

Analytical essay

Background information on topic
Overall point of view of the topic (thesis)
Overview of components to be discussed (structure)
Topic sentence outlining first component
Sentences giving explanations and providing evidence to support topic sentence
Concluding sentence – link to next paragraph
Topic sentence outlining second component
Sentences giving explanations and providing evidence to back topic sentence
These follow the same structure for as many components as you need to outline
Summary of the main points of the body
Restatement of the main point of view
Justification/evaluation (if required by task)

Argumentative essay

Statement of your position on the topic (thesis)
Overview of arguments to be presented (structure)
Topic sentence outlining first argument
Topic sentence outlining second argument
These follow the same structure for as many arguments as you wish to put forward in support of the topic.
Restatement of the position

Interpretive essay

Brief background information on topic
Overview of issues to be addressed in the essay (structure)
State overall interpretation (thesis)
Topic sentence outlining first issue identified from the data
Sentences giving further explanation and providing evidence from both the literature and the data, e.g. the case study to support the topic sentence (it is very important in this types of essays to make reference to the data you have been supplied to give your essay context).
Topic sentence outlining second issue identified
These follow the same structure for as many issues as you wish to discuss from the data you have been supplied.
Statement of overall interpretation
Summary of the main issues from the data supplied
Make recommendations or suggest solutions to address the issues arising from the data supplied.

Comparative essay

Outline of two (or more) things being compared or contrasted
Purpose for making the comparison / contrast
Overview of the specific points to be compared / contrasted
Topic sentence outlining first similarity or difference
Topic sentence outlining second similarity or different
These follow the same structure for as many items or aspects as you need to compare/contrast
Restatement of the main purpose for the comparison / contrast
Summary of the main similarities and differences
Recommendation about suitability of compared items for purpose (if requirement of assessment task)
Overall conclusion

Problem and solution essay

Background information about the problem
Description of the problem and why it is serious
Overview of the solutions to be outlined
Topic sentence outlining first solution
Explanation of the positive and negative aspects of the solution
Evidence to support explanations
Concluding sentence
Topic sentence outlining second solution
Evidence to support explanation
These follow the same structure for as many solutions as you need to discuss
Summary of the problem and overview of the solutions
Evaluation of solutions and recommendation of best option

Cause and effect essay

Background information on situation under discussion
Description of the situation
Overview of the causes or effects to be outlined
Topic sentence outlining first cause or effect
Sentences giving explanations and providing evidence to support the topic sentence
Concluding sentence – linking to next paragraph
Topic sentence outlining second cause or effect
These follow the same structure for as many causes or effects as you need to outline
Conclusion, prediction or recommendation

This chart gives an idea of what different roles paragraphs can play in a mixed-structure essay assignment.

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Exercise 6: Writing an essay for examination from 2024 (Ultimate Guide)

Exercise 6 of the Reading and Writing paper of the IGCSE English as a Second Language (ESL) exam (0510/0511/0991/0993) is always a formal or semi-formal writing. It can be an article, an essay, a report, or a review.

In this article, you will discover how to write an almost-perfect essay that impresses the examiner and gets you the highest band. So, are you ready? Let’s dive in!

So, what is an essay?

An essay is a short piece of writing on a particular subject. The purpose of an essay is to present an argument or point of view about a particular topic and give examples or reasons to support it. The topic will be a question or an issue which people generally have different opinions about.

The essay could present both sides of the argument, or just one, depending on the instructions given in the task. So, if the instructions ask you to give your opinion, you can address just this one point of view, or you can discuss the arguments for and against. But if the task instructions state that arguments for and against should be included, then you should address both points of view.

The Tone and Register of an Essay

In the exam, the essay is usually for your teacher, so the tone and register should be formal or semi-formal . Therefore, it should avoid language that is too idiomatic and colloquial.

Now, before diving into the details of how to write a successful essay, let’s first explore a few differences between articles and essays.

Differences between an article and an essay

An essay is very similar to an article with only a few key differences.

An article is usually published in a newspaper or a magazine, so as far as the exam is concerned, the audience is often students at your school (school magazine article), or sometimes your teacher or the local newspaper.

The audience of an essay is often your teacher (who requested the essay in the first place).

An article is generally written to inform and persuade the reader that a certain viewpoint is correct.

An essay is generally written as a response to a question or a proposition (often by your teacher). It presents an argument or point of view about a particular topic and gives examples or reasons to support it.

Tone and style:

Articles generally have a more objective tone and style, focusing on presenting information in a neutral or balanced manner.

Essays are generally subjective, reflecting the writer’s opinion and perspective.

An article may have a heading to grab the reader’s attention (though not compulsory in the exam).

An essay does not require a heading.

The format of a one-sided argument essay

A one-sided argument essay can have two formats, depending on whether you include a counterargument from the opposing viewpoint or not.

Paragraph 1: Introduction (including your opinion)

Paragraph 2: First point supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 3: Second point supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 4: State a counterargument (an idea from the opposing viewpoint) and counter the counterargument (i.e., explain why this counterargument is invalid). In other words, state a point made by people who have a different opinion from yours and explain why they are wrong.

Paragraph 5: Conclusion (including your opinion again but in different words)

Paragraph 2: One or two points supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 3: One or two points (different from those of the previous paragraph) supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 4: Conclusion (including your opinion again but in different words)

The format of a two-sided argument essay

Paragraph 1: Introduction (without your opinion)

Paragraph 2: One side of the argument

Paragraph 3: The other side of the argument

Paragraph 4: Conclusion (including your opinion)

Introduction

The purpose of the introduction is to inform the reader about the main point (topic) of the essay and engage the reader to make them interested in the topic. The main components of an effective introduction are:

Topic sentence

Start your essay with a brief topic sentence that outlines the argument that the essay will discuss. Give forceful statements rather than “I think that”, “maybe” or “perhaps”. For example, “Teenagers love fast food.”, “Nowadays, music plays an indispensable role in our lives.”, etc.

To write an effective topic sentence, you might use adverbial time phrases and generalizations . Here are some examples of each.

Adverbial time phrases

Nowadays/these days/currently
Every day/week/year
Recently/for many years/decades
In the past
10 years ago
In the last (few/five) (days/weeks/months/years/decades)

Generalization

A large number of / The vast majority (of)
Several/some
Not many/hardly any/ few
In almost all cases
In the majority of cases
In a large number of cases
In most cases
In some cases
On the whole/ Overall
Rhetorical question(s)

Use rhetorical questions (questions that don’t require an answer but make your reader think) to get the reader interested in the topic and encourage them to read on. For example:

How much longer do animals have to suffer?
Could you live with yourself if you missed out on this opportunity?
How could we possibly stand the …?
What would happen if …?
Could your conscience cope with …?
Is it really worth …?
Do you want to be part of …?
Should students do sport at school?
Should teenagers completely avoid fast food?
We all love convenience food. But is it the best thing for our waistlines, our wallets and our world?
Your opinion (if it is a one-sided argument essay)

If you are writing a two-sided argument essay, DO NOT give your opinion in the introduction.

If you are writing a one-sided argument essay, you MUST give your opinion (whether you support or oppose the viewpoint expressed in the statement).

Here are some opinion phrases to help you express your opinion.

In my opinion/view
From my perspective
From my point of view
I concur/agree
I believe/think (that)
It seems to me that
I am in favour of
I am against the idea of
I am strongly opposed to
I disagree/cannot accept

You may also kill two birds with one stone and begin your essay with a rhetorical question that introduces the topic to the reader, thus acting as a topic sentence. Here are some examples.

“Have you ever thought how school life would be if the school day started later? In my perspective, this will have countless benefits.”

“Should students do sport at school? This is a question which people have different opinions about.”

One-sided essay structure:

Body paragraph 1: First idea supporting your opinion with an explanation

Body paragraph 2: Second idea supporting your opinion with an explanation ( should be different from the first idea )

Body paragraph 3: State a counterargument (an idea from the opposing viewpoint) AND counter the counterargument (i.e., explain why this counterargument is invalid). In other words, state a point made by people who have a different opinion from yours and explain why they are wrong.

Body Paragraph 1: one or two points supporting your opinion with an explanation

Body Paragraph 2: one or two points (different from those of the previous paragraph) supporting your opinion with an explanation

When introducing the counterargument in the 3 rd body paragraph, use any of the following phrases.

Opponents of this idea claim/assert/argue that …
Those who disagree/are against these ideas may say/insist that …
Some people allege/argue/contend that …
Some people may suggest/point out that …
A common counterargument is that …
It can be argued that …

When countering the counterargument in the 3 rd body paragraph, use any of the following phrases depending on the context.

Although true to a certain extent, …
While this may be true to some extent, …
While it is true that …, it is important to consider…
While some may believe that … recent studies have shown that …
What this invalid argument misses is …
What these people fail to notice/take note of is …
The evidence, however, disproves this argument because …
However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that …
However, a closer analysis reveals that …
However, this flawed argument overlooks the fact that …

Two-sided essay structure:

Body paragraph 1: One side of the argument either in favour or against ( mention 2 different ideas )

Body paragraph 2: The other side of the argument either in favour or against ( mention 2 different ideas )

General guidelines for both kinds of essays:

Read the question carefully and draft a plan for your essay in the blank space below the question using a pencil. Here are some steps to follow.
Separate the blank space into two parts, one for and one against.
Jot down any points that come to your mind in the correct part, along with any interesting vocabulary or expressions suitable for the task. Remember to write briefly and in bullet points.
Decide whether you will write a one-sided essay or a two-sided essay. If the instructions in the question state that you must include arguments for and against, then choose the best 2 points supporting each side and write a two-sided essay. If it’s not mentioned that you must include arguments for and against, then the choice is yours.
Consider how you will begin your essay and how you will engage the reader at the start. For example, write some variations of the topic sentence and rhetorical questions that you could use.
Choose the most effective ones and begin writing. Remember to spend no more than 5 minutes on the plan.
Start your body paragraphs with a topic sentence rather than just jumping into the advantages or disadvantages (especially if you’re writing a two-sided essay). This helps to organize your writing and makes the purpose of the paragraph clear to the reader. For example, in an essay discussing the advantages and disadvantages of fast food, it is better to start your first body paragraph with a topic sentence like “There are some obvious advantages of fast food. Firstly, …” rather than just getting into the first point and writing, “To begin with, it’s quite tasty.”.
You can use the few prompts given in the question, but it is better to use your own ideas if you want to get higher marks. If, however, you are out of ideas, use the ideas in the question and make sure to paraphrase them (write them in different words) and develop them well.
Support your ideas with reasons, evidence, or examples . Keep in mind that the examiner knows the evidence or examples will be made up and doesn’t expect these to be correct. Yes, you can make up your own statistics! Just make sure it’s not overly unrealistic.
Keep to the topic (don’t wander away from the main subject of the essay). Remind yourself constantly by looking again at the question.
Use a variety of linking words and cohesive devices (mainly formal) to create a smooth and logical flow in your writing. Here are some examples.

When presenting the first point (used in the 1 st body paragraph of both one-sided essays and two-sided essays)

There are some obvious advantages of
Those in support of … believe that …
People who think … say that …
The main argument in favour of/against is
The main point/reason is
The most important point/reason is
The first point/reason is
First of all
First and foremost

When adding more points to the same side of the argument

In addition,
Furthermore,
Additionally,
Not only … but also…
As well as.
Another noteworthy point is …
Apart from that
What is more

When contrasting ideas (typically used to introduce the opposite viewpoint in the 2 nd body paragraph of a two-sided essay

Some people argue that …
Nevertheless
Even though
In spite of
On the other hand
On the contrary
By contrast

When giving examples

For example
For instance
One clear example is
To illustrate
In other words

When reasoning:

Results and consequences: as a result, consequently, therefore, thus, hence, for this reason, as a result (of), which means that, etc.
Reasons and causes: owing to, because (of), on account of, due to, since, as, etc.

When highlighting and stressing

Particularly
In particular
Specifically

The purpose of the conclusion is to sum up what you have said and express (or re-express) your opinion.

In the conclusion:

Briefly summarize your main points using concluding phrases. Here are some examples.
In conclusion
To conclude
To reiterate
On the whole
All things considered
After weighing the benefits and drawbacks
I believe that …
Thus, I am of the opinion that …
Given these points

Remember to use different words from those used to express the points in the body.

Give your final opinion (regardless of whether it’s a one-sided or a two-sided essay) and any solution or suggestion if applicable.

The solution or suggestion might be part of your opinion if you’re writing a two-sided essay and want to take a balanced view on the issue rather than siding with one side. For example, “Overall, I believe eating fast food occasionally isn’t a problem, but fresh home-cooked food is best.” Use the opinion phrases stated earlier in the Introduction section to express your opinion, and if it’s a one-sided essay, make sure to use different words from those used in the introduction.

End with a strong, impactful statement that leaves the reader with something to think about. This could be a rhetorical question or a statement that encourages the reader to decide what they think about the same viewpoint. For example:
“To conclude, I wholeheartedly believe that everyone should pursue higher education. Why not embrace this invaluable opportunity to fast-track your career, build your confidence, and broaden your social circle?”
“Overall, I believe eating fast food occasionally isn’t a problem, but fresh home-cooked food is best. Do you not think so?”
“After weighing the benefits and the drawbacks, it is apparent that convenience food, while palatable, may negatively impact other areas of your life. Think about this before you reach for your next snack!”

It’s worth mentioning that this step is PREFERABLE . So don’t stress too much about ending your essay with an impactful statement or a rhetorical question. Just make sure that the conclusion reflects the argument presented in the main body of the essay and that your final opinion is clear to the reader.

Points to keep in mind

Read the task carefully to make sure that the ideas and supporting information you include are relevant to the topic. Students often lose focus and write about wider, more general issues associated with the topic, which significantly affects their marks.
Organize your essay into 4-5 paragraphs . Leave a line between paragraphs or indent the first line of each new paragraph. Don’t do both!
Take care of spelling, punctuation, and grammar . This is important as the examiner will look at the accuracy of your language.
Use a combination of simple, compound, and complex sentences . A series of long sentences will make your writing difficult to read, and a series of short simple sentences will make your writing boring to read. Balance is the key.
Use a wide range of formal vocabulary, including some advanced and less commonly used ones .
Include a range of topic-related vocabulary to show that you have a good understanding of the topic.
Use a wide variety of formal linking words to link ideas in sentences and paragraphs. Examples have been mentioned earlier.
Use advanced punctuation sparingly (1-3 in the whole essay), for example, colon (:) and semicolon (;).
Include language appropriate for expressing opinions, agreeing, and disagreeing. In addition to mentioning your opinion in the introduction and/or conclusion, your viewpoint can also be included in the body paragraphs (whether it’s a one-sided or a two-sided essay) by:
Mentioning personal examples or experiences (which implies that you agree with this point of view)
Explicitly agreeing while presenting a point in the body paragraph. Here is an example: “People who think sports lessons are a good idea say that students need exercise, and I agree that doing sports helps to make you healthy and avoid getting overweight.”
Aim to complete towards the maximum word limit (approximately 160 words). Exceeding the word limit slightly (15-20 words) is fine as long as you write accurately and complete the task within the correct time. If you exceed the word limit by any number of words, be it even 100, no marks will be cut directly, but you increase your chances of making more mistakes and spending more time than required for this exercise, which may affect your mark indirectly. If you write towards the lower limit or below, you are highly unlikely to achieve the highest band for Content as your content is not well developed.
Spend about 30 minutes on this exercise : the initial 5 minutes for planning and the last 2-3 minutes for checking your work for simple spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes.
Write legibly

Don’ts

Do not write a heading.
Avoid colloquial or ‘chatty’ language (which includes informal vocabulary, abbreviations, or slang such as how r u, OMG, BTW, etc.).
Avoid listing (firstly, secondly, thirdly, etc.). There is no problem in writing “firstly”, but avoid writing “secondly” and “thirdly”.
Avoid repetition of vocabulary and beginning your sentences with the same words . Sometimes, students write 3 or more sentences in a row starting with “The”!
Avoid including too many different ideas in your essay. It is better to include fewer ideas and develop one or two in greater depth rather than writing many ideas which are not well-developed.
Avoid writing an overlong introduction and conclusion. It would be more effective to utilize the limited word count to develop your ideas within the body of the essay. Also, avoid pre-learned language for these parts of the essay, as this may not be totally relevant or might sound unnatural.
It’s preferable to avoid contractions , but they can be used as the essay can have a semi-formal tone and register. In both cases, remember to be consistent throughout. So, if you used contractions, use them throughout your whole essay, and if not, avoid them altogether.

Practice a lot of past papers and get feedback on your writing. We know that essay writing is newly added to the syllabus, but you can still practice writing essays in response to past years’ article writing questions as they are very similar.

Finally, don’t forget to check out our samples page and if you find this helpful, please share it with your friends.

Good luck! Go get that A*!

21 responses to “Exercise 6: Writing an essay for examination from 2024 (Ultimate Guide)”

Dear ESL KINGS Team,

Your notes have always helped me, including the samples ofcourse. I have made a number of progress, but there is still some questions I have.

To begin with, when would it be perfect/suitable for you to start uploading essay samples? My exam is on May 8 and I really do require their needs. I know that article is basically almost like an essay, But I still haven’t seen a proper essay For esl ever.

Moving on, I wanted to ask that are the International examiners more strict? I am asking this because the samples you have provided have made me totally fall apart as I was shocked by the language required to score top marks. My emails are average on a scale of 13/15 while my formal writings are between 10 – 12, and since I never have experienced the real examiner, I am scared I will even get less then that. It’s my hugest goal to Get around 95 marks from 100 in ESL. For now, If I can estimate I will get around 93 marks which I still don’t find in appeal.

Please do help me with this.

Warm regards, Ayaan Yousuf.

Dear Ayaan,

Thank you for your kind words! We’re glad you’re making progress!

Unfortunately, we may not be able to upload any more samples at the moment as we’re very busy with our exams. However, you may check out Cambridge’s essay sample available here . We appreciate your understanding.

It’s absolutely normal to feel that your writing is not as good as the samples because they are not a standard every student must follow to achieve good mark. They are just meant to inspire you: you can use any of their vocabulary, ideas or structures in your own writing to improve it. You can still score very good marks with a language below that of the samples. Our advice is to focus now on practicing as much as you can instead of how many marks you will score, and you will be able to get your desired grade inshallah.

Best regards, ESL Kings team

Thank you for providing such helpful resources and samples. Your examples are very good and advanced, but I feel my writing isn’t as good. Is this something to worry about, or is it normal? Will the examiners be very strict, or somewhat lenient, considering this is ESL?

Thank you for your kind words! It’s absolutely normal to feel that your writing is not as good as the samples. This is completely understandable and actually a good sign because it provides room for improvement.

We suggest that you get your writing marked by a teacher, a family member, a friend or even yourself; this will give you an idea of where your writing actually stands. And keep practising as much as you can, taking into account the tips we provide in the notes, and you will definitely see progress.

Examiners know of course that this is a second language exam and they mark based on the criteria mentioned in the mark scheme, which is more lenient than a first language exam.

Appreciate this post! Very helpful to me as a teacher.

Thank you! We really appreciate your positive feedback!

Thank you so much for giving us the ideas how to write an essay. Specially, phrases how to begin sentences from each paragraph

You’re welcome 🙂 We’re glad it helped!

Wonderful materials for my students who are going to take the exam next May. Thank you so much

Thank you so much for your kind feedback! We’re glad our notes are benefiting your students! Good luck to them!

Thank you so much for your help! Could you also post some sample essays, it would be very helpful for us!!

Hi Sara, thank you for your comment! We will definitely consider adding them after completing the review writing notes which we are currently working on.

What do you mean by do not write a heading? Do you mean we shouldn’t have a title for the essay?

Yes, an essay doesn’t require a title. Trying to come up with one will use up your exam time unnecessarily.

Is there going to be direct deduction of marks if written?

yes no title in essay

Hello, I’m having my exam in 4 months and I can’t believe I didn’t know about this website before, seriously I wholeheartedly appreciate what you do, I heard there’s a service where you can correct or give feedback on pieces of writings and grade them, is it available?

Thank you so much for your nice comment! We really appreciate it! Our marking service was available, but unfortunately, it is now suspended as it requires a lot of time and effort, which we can’t provide at the moment. We apologize for this! And we wish you good luck with your exam!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORT AND TIME CREATING THESE SUPER AMAZING NOTES AND TIPS FOR WRITING EXERCISES

Thank you for your kind words! We’re really glad you found them helpful!

Explore Different Types of Essays, their Purpose, and Sub-types

11 min read

Major Types of Essays In Academic Writing

When it comes to academic writing, understanding the different types of essays is essential. Each type serves a distinct purpose and requires a specific approach. Let's explore these essay types along with their descriptions and example prompts in the table below:


	Formulating arguments, critical thinking, persuasive writing.	Argue for or against the implementation of stricter gun control laws in the United States.
	Sensory Description, Imagery, Figurative Language	Describe a place you visited recently and explain why it left a lasting impression on you.
	Informative Writing, Research, Clarity	Explain the causes and effects of climate change, and discuss its impact on the environment and society.
	Storytelling, Narrative Structure, Engagement	Describe a memorable childhood event that had a significant impact on your life.

Understanding these major types of essays and the skills they assess will empower you to approach your academic writing with confidence. Depending on your assignment's requirements, you'll be better equipped to choose the appropriate essay type and showcase your writing abilities effectively.

Each type offers a unique opportunity for you to express your ideas, and arguments and perfect your specific writing skills.

Here are the key types of essay formats explained in detail, along with examples to enhance your understanding.

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Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is an essay type that presents a well-structured argument supported by evidence and reasoning. The primary goal is to engage the reader in a discussion, provide evidence, and logically demonstrate why a particular viewpoint is more valid.

In simple words, the writer must provide evidence and remain consistent in their stance. While argumentative essays present both sides of an issue, they strongly support one perspective.

Characteristics of Argumentative Essay

Clear Thesis: It should have a clear thesis statement to state the writer's position.
Balanced Presentation: An argumentative essay addresses opposing views.
Evidence: It relies on credible and relevant evidence.
Logical Reasoning: The essay presents arguments coherently and logically.
Persuasive Techniques: It uses persuasive techniques like ethos, pathos, and logos effectively.
Introduction: The introduction introduces the topic and thesis, engaging the reader's interest.
Body: The body paragraphs present arguments with supporting evidence.
Counterargument: It addresses opposing viewpoints and refutes them.
Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes key points and reinforces the thesis, leaving a strong impression.

Argumentative Essay Example

Before beginning the writing process, it is better to go through some expertly crafted argumentative essay examples . This approach enables you to grasp the argumentative essay outline and writing style more effectively.

Descriptive Essay

A descriptive essay is a form of writing that aims to immerse readers in a sensory-rich experience. Unlike informational or persuasive essays, its primary goal is to vividly depict a person, place, object, event, or experience. The descriptive essay must evoke the senses and emotions of the reader. In simple terms, the reader should see what you saw and feel what you felt. To make it better, you can use several literary devices such as;

Alliteration

All of them help in making the experience and your essay better.

Key Characteristics

Sensory Detail: Descriptive essays appeal to the five senses to create a multisensory experience.
Vivid Imagery: They use figurative language and descriptive adjectives to bring the narrative to life.
Emotional Connection: These essays often aim to establish an emotional bond between the reader and the subject.
Structured Approach: They typically follow an introduction-body-conclusion structure.
Introduction: Introduces the subject and purpose, sometimes with a thesis statement.
Body Paragraphs: Focus on specific aspects or details using sensory language and vivid descriptions.
Conclusion: Summarizes the central theme and leaves a lasting impression.

Descriptive Essay Example

Creating a perfect descriptive essay for an assignment is not difficult if you go through some expert descriptive essay examples first.

Need more examples? Read our Descriptive Essay Examples and Writing Tips blog to get inspired!

Expository Essay

An expository essay is a type of writing that provides clear and objective explanations of a topic without expressing personal opinions. It aims to inform and educate by presenting factual information and analysis.

Therefore, it is important that you make a focused outline and stick to it throughout the process.

An expository essay incorporates a wide array of essays such as:

Cause and effect essays
Process essays
Analytical essays
Compare and contrast essays

Key Characteristics

Objective Presentation: Expository writing maintains an impartial tone, avoiding personal biases.
Informativeness: They focus on explaining complex ideas or processes in a straightforward manner.
Structured: These essays follow a clear structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Use of Evidence: They rely on credible evidence, facts, and examples to support the topic.
Introduction: Introduces the topic and often includes a thesis statement.
Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect and provides explanations and evidence.
Conclusion: Restates the main idea and summarizes key points.

Expository Essay Example

Looking for more sample essays? Check out our Expository Essay Examples blog and take inspiration from a range of expository essays!

Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is a type of academic writing that tells a story or recounts a personal experience. Unlike other essays, its primary purpose is to engage and entertain the reader through storytelling.

Narrative Structure: Follows a chronological sequence with an introduction, body, climax, and conclusion.
First-Person Perspective: Typically written from the first-person point of view (e.g., "I" and "we") , sharing personal experiences and emotions.
Vivid Description: Relies on descriptive language and imagery to create a clear picture of events, characters, and settings.
Emotional Connection: Aims to establish an emotional bond with the reader by conveying the writer's thoughts and feelings.
Introduction: Sets the stage and introduces the central theme or problem.
Body: Presents events or experiences in chronological order with sensory details.
Climax: Often includes a central event or turning point.
Conclusion: Reflects on the narrative, offering insights, lessons, or resolution.

Narrative Essay Example

Wondering how to get your story into an interesting narrative? Learn the best way to write a perfect narrative essay with the help of expert narrative essay examples.

For more examples visit our blog on narrative essay examples .

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Other Essay Types

In addition to the major types of essays discussed earlier, there are several other specialized types that cater to specific audiences. These essays provide diverse avenues for writers to communicate their ideas effectively.

We will go through these essay types here.

Persuasive Essay

A persuasive essay is another type of academic essay. In this essay type, the writer utilizes logic and reasoning to show one’s idea is more convincing than another idea.

In writing a persuasive essay, the main aim is to persuade the reader to accept a certain point of view. The presented argument or claim must use solid evidence and sound reasoning by stating facts, examples, and quotes.

Persuasive Essay Example

Since persuasive essays are the most common type of essay, it is essential to get familiar with their writing style. For that, here is an interesting persuasive essay example that you can explore for your better understanding.

Read our persuasive essay examples blog for more samples!

Analytical Essay

An analytical essay is a type of academic essay in which the writer analyzes a topic bit by bit. Writing an analytical essay is not about convincing readers of your point of view. But wanting readers to agree with what you have written.

So, there is no need to use strong persuasive language in an analytical essay. Rather you should aim to provide enough analysis to make sure your argument is clear to the readers.

Analytical Essay Example

Let’s take a look at a sample analytical essay:

Read our analytical essay examples blog if you are looking for more sample essays!

Reflective Essay

A reflective essay type of essay requires you to examine your personal experiences through self-reflection. In the process of writing a reflective essay, you provide insight into what you have gained from those experiences.

What makes reflective essays different from other essay types is the fact that it examine the past experience from the present. Reflective essays take the reader through a journey of self-growth.

Reflective Essay Example

The following reflective essay example will help you get a clear idea of how to structure your analytical essay.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

It is a form of a textual analysis essay in which the student examines and analyzes a persuasive text. It is like an essay, speech, or visual art and analyzes the rhetorical devices used in it. Writing a rhetorical analysis essay is different from writing other essays because it will be more than adding facts only.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

Here is a rhetorical analysis essay example that will help you learn better.

Check out our rhetorical analysis essay examples blog for more samples!

Literary Analysis Essay

A literary analysis essay is based on close reading and analysis of a work of literature like poetry and novel. It identifies different literary factors like themes, setting, characters, setting, and the kind of language used in it. A literary analysis essay has the same 5 paragraphs as any other essay but the main subject and topic are different.

Literary Analysis Essay Example

Need help with your literary analysis essay? Below is a sample essay to help you understand better.

Summing it Up! Now you know what are the different types of essays in academic writing that you are most likely to get assigned. However, if you still find it difficult to compose your essay, leave your piece of writing to our experts.

Whether you need an argumentative essay, narrative essay, descriptive essay, or expository essay we are here to help. Our expertise extends to all types of essays, ensuring that your academic writing needs are met with precision and excellence.

Request essay help today and let our experts assist you in writing A+ grade essays within your specified timeline!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important element in any essay.

A thesis statement is the most important part of any essay. Other than the research itself, the thesis statement is the most important part of an essay or research paper. A thesis statement summarizes the main point and essence of the argument.

What type of essay is most common at university?

Usually, university students get argumentative kinds of essays. No matter what kind of essay you write, you will need to develop an argument.

Here are some kinds of essays and the kind of arguments added to them.

Analysis and interpretation of literary texts are discussed in literary analysis essays.
The importance of a particular event or theory is analyzed in a history argumentative essay.
A political theory is examined in a political argumentative essay.

Besides, there are a number of different kinds of argumentative and analysis essays.

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Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.

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The Big List of Essay Topics for High School (120+ Ideas!)

Ideas to inspire every young writer!

What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?

High school students generally do a lot of writing, learning to use language clearly, concisely, and persuasively. When it’s time to choose an essay topic, though, it’s easy to come up blank. If that’s the case, check out this huge round-up of essay topics for high school. You’ll find choices for every subject and writing style.

Argumentative Essay Topics
Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics
Compare-Contrast Essay Topics
Descriptive Essay Topics
Expository and Informative Essay Topics
Humorous Essay Topics

Literary Essay Topics

Narrative and Personal Essay Topics
Personal Essay Topics
Persuasive Essay Topics

Research Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics for high school.

When writing an argumentative essay, remember to do the research and lay out the facts clearly. Your goal is not necessarily to persuade someone to agree with you, but to encourage your reader to accept your point of view as valid. Here are some possible argumentative topics to try. ( Here are 100 more compelling argumentative essay topics. )

The most important challenge our country is currently facing is … (e.g., immigration, gun control, economy)
The government should provide free internet access for every citizen.
All drugs should be legalized, regulated, and taxed.
Vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco.
The best country in the world is …
Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.
Should all students have the ability to attend college for free?
Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

WeAreTeachers

Schools should require recommended vaccines for all students, with very limited exceptions.
Is it acceptable to use animals for experiments and research?
Does social media do more harm than good?
Capital punishment does/does not deter crime.
What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?
Do we really learn anything from history, or does it just repeat itself over and over?
Are men and women treated equally?

Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics for High School

A cause-and-effect essay is a type of argumentative essay. Your goal is to show how one specific thing directly influences another specific thing. You’ll likely need to do some research to make your point. Here are some ideas for cause-and-effect essays. ( Get a big list of 100 cause-and-effect essay topics here. )

Humans are causing accelerated climate change.
Fast-food restaurants have made human health worse over the decades.
What caused World War II? (Choose any conflict for this one.)
Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

How does playing sports affect people?
What are the effects of loving to read?
Being an only/oldest/youngest/middle child makes you …
What effect does violence in movies or video games have on kids?
Traveling to new places opens people’s minds to new ideas.
Racism is caused by …

Compare-Contrast Essay Topics for High School

As the name indicates, in compare-and-contrast essays, writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. The following ideas work well for compare-contrast essays. ( Find 80+ compare-contrast essay topics for all ages here. )

Public and private schools
Capitalism vs. communism
Monarchy or democracy
Dogs vs. cats as pets

Paper books or e-books
Two political candidates in a current race
Going to college vs. starting work full-time
Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
iPhone or Android
Instagram vs. Twitter (or choose any other two social media platforms)

Descriptive Essay Topics for High School

Bring on the adjectives! Descriptive writing is all about creating a rich picture for the reader. Take readers on a journey to far-off places, help them understand an experience, or introduce them to a new person. Remember: Show, don’t tell. These topics make excellent descriptive essays.

Who is the funniest person you know?
What is your happiest memory?
Tell about the most inspirational person in your life.
Write about your favorite place.
When you were little, what was your favorite thing to do?
Choose a piece of art or music and explain how it makes you feel.
What is your earliest memory?

What’s the best/worst vacation you’ve ever taken?
Describe your favorite pet.
What is the most important item in the world to you?
Give a tour of your bedroom (or another favorite room in your home).
Describe yourself to someone who has never met you.
Lay out your perfect day from start to finish.
Explain what it’s like to move to a new town or start a new school.
Tell what it would be like to live on the moon.

Expository and Informative Essay Topics for High School

Expository essays set out clear explanations of a particular topic. You might be defining a word or phrase or explaining how something works. Expository or informative essays are based on facts, and while you might explore different points of view, you won’t necessarily say which one is “better” or “right.” Remember: Expository essays educate the reader. Here are some expository and informative essay topics to explore. ( See 70+ expository and informative essay topics here. )

What makes a good leader?
Explain why a given school subject (math, history, science, etc.) is important for students to learn.
What is the “glass ceiling” and how does it affect society?
Describe how the internet changed the world.
What does it mean to be a good teacher?

Explain how we could colonize the moon or another planet.
Discuss why mental health is just as important as physical health.
Describe a healthy lifestyle for a teenager.
Choose an American president and explain how their time in office affected the country.
What does “financial responsibility” mean?

Humorous Essay Topics for High School

Humorous essays can take on any form, like narrative, persuasive, or expository. You might employ sarcasm or satire, or simply tell a story about a funny person or event. Even though these essay topics are lighthearted, they still take some skill to tackle well. Give these ideas a try.

What would happen if cats (or any other animal) ruled the world?
What do newborn babies wish their parents knew?
Explain the best ways to be annoying on social media.
Invent a wacky new sport, explain the rules, and describe a game or match.

Explain why it's important to eat dessert first.

Imagine a discussion between two historic figures from very different times, like Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I.
Retell a familiar story in tweets or other social media posts.
Describe present-day Earth from an alien’s point of view.
Choose a fictional character and explain why they should be the next president.
Describe a day when kids are in charge of everything, at school and at home.

Literary essays analyze a piece of writing, like a book or a play. In high school, students usually write literary essays about the works they study in class. These literary essay topic ideas focus on books students often read in high school, but many of them can be tweaked to fit other works as well.

Discuss the portrayal of women in Shakespeare’s Othello .
Explore the symbolism used in The Scarlet Letter .
Explain the importance of dreams in Of Mice and Men .
Compare and contrast the romantic relationships in Pride and Prejudice .

Analyze the role of the witches in Macbeth.

Dissect the allegory of Animal Farm and its relation to contemporary events.
Interpret the author’s take on society and class structure in The Great Gatsby .
Explore the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.
Discuss whether Shakespeare’s portrayal of young love in Romeo and Juliet is accurate.
Explain the imagery used in Beowulf .

Narrative and Personal Essay Topics for High School

Think of a narrative essay like telling a story. Use some of the same techniques that you would for a descriptive essay, but be sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. A narrative essay doesn’t necessarily need to be personal, but they often are. Take inspiration from these narrative and personal essay topics.

Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in.
Explain the process of cooking and eating your favorite meal.
Write about meeting your best friend for the first time and how your relationship developed.
Tell about learning to ride a bike or drive a car.
Describe a time in your life when you’ve been scared.

Write about a time when you or someone you know displayed courage.

Share the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you.
Tell about a time when you overcame a big challenge.
Tell the story of how you learned an important life lesson.
Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced prejudice or oppression.
Explain a family tradition, how it developed, and its importance today.
What is your favorite holiday? How does your family celebrate it?
Retell a familiar story from the point of view of a different character.
Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
Tell about your proudest moment.

Persuasive Essay Topics for High School

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience, so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try these topics to persuade someone to come around to your point of view. ( Discover 60 more intriguing persuasive essay topics here. )

Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
Everyone should be vegetarian or vegan.
What animal makes the best pet?
Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
Should little kids be allowed to play competitive sports?
Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
The best music genre is …

What is one book that everyone should be required to read?

Is democracy the best form of government?
Is capitalism the best form of economy?
Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
Should schools have dress codes?
If I could change one school rule, it would be …
Is year-round school a good idea?

A research essay is a classic high school assignment. These papers require deep research into primary source documents, with lots of supporting facts and evidence that’s properly cited. Research essays can be in any of the styles shown above. Here are some possible topics, across a variety of subjects.

Which country’s style of government is best for the people who live there?
Choose a country and analyze its development from founding to present day.
Describe the causes and effects of a specific war.
Formulate an ideal economic plan for our country.
What scientific discovery has had the biggest impact on life today?

Tell the story of the development of artificial intelligence so far, and describe its impacts along the way.

Analyze the way mental health is viewed and treated in this country.
Explore the ways systemic racism impacts people in all walks of life.
Defend the importance of teaching music and the arts in public schools.
Choose one animal from the endangered species list, and propose a realistic plan to protect it.

What are some of your favorite essay topics for high school? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the ultimate guide to student writing contests .

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Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.

100 Thought-Provoking Argumentative Writing Prompts for Kids and Teens

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11 Common Types Of Verbs Used In The English Language

What Is A Verb?
Types Of Verbs
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On an average day, a lot of things can happen: people go to work. Kids study in school. Animals hunt for food. Friends talk to each other. All of these sentences express basic ideas about everyday events. However, we can also use sentences to express more complicated ideas: citizens can own property. People will chase their dreams to get what they want. Both our simple sentences and complex sentences have something in common: they all use verbs.

Verbs are very important in grammar, and we actually use many different types of verbs when we talk about what things do or how things are. Because they do so much for us, it is only fair that we take the time to learn a little more about verbs and some of the common types of verbs used in English.

What is a verb ?

When we write sentences or clauses, we need to include a verb. What is a verb ? A verb is a word that we use to refer to actions (what things do) and states of being (how things are). For example, the words describe, eat , and rotate are verbs. As you are about to see, verbs come in a lot of different types that don’t all behave the same way. When using proper grammar, it is important that you use verbs correctly. So, we are going to explore the many different types of verbs that we use and how to successfully use them to create great, clear sentences.

Types of verbs

We are going to explore 11 different types of verbs. Because every type deserves some attention, we won’t be going into too much detail on each type. If you want to learn more than what is covered here, you’re in luck. Listed below are each of the 11 types of verbs we are going to look at and a link to an article entirely focused on that specific type of verb.

Action verbs
Stative verbs
Transitive verbs
Intransitive verbs
Linking verbs
Helping verbs (also called auxiliary verbs)
Modal verbs
Regular verbs
Irregular verbs
Phrasal verbs
Infinitives

1. Action verbs

Action verbs, as their name says, are used to refer to actions. These can refer to physical actions that are performed with bodies or objects, such as jump , hit , or sing , or mental actions that we use our brains to perform, such as think , consider , or memorize . Most verbs you will find are action verbs.

List of action verbs

Examples of action verbs in a sentence.

Each of these sentences uses action verbs. You’ll see that each verb is referring to a physical or mental action.

I work at a factory.
Cats chase mice.
We listened to the woman’s amazing story.

2. Stative verbs

Unlike action verbs, stative verbs refer to conditions or states of being . Generally speaking, we use stative verbs to describe things like qualities, states of existence, opinions, beliefs, and emotions. When used in a sentence, stative verbs do not refer to actions. It is important to know that some verbs can be used as either action or stative verbs depending on their meaning in the sentence. We are less likely to use stative verbs in the continuous verb tenses .

List of stative verbs

Get to know the stative verb have even better with this examination of has vs. have .

Examples of stative verbs in a sentence

These sentences all use stative verbs. You’ll notice that none of these verbs refer to actions.

The mansion has five bathrooms.
Allie loves her younger sisters.
My car needs an oil change.

3. Transitive verbs

A transitive verb is a verb that is accompanied by a direct object in a sentence. The direct object is the noun , pronoun , or noun phrase that is having something done to it by the subject of the sentence. Both action and stative verbs can have direct objects, which means they can both be used as transitive verbs.

Examples of transitive verbs in a sentence

The following sentences all contain examples of transitive verbs. As you read each one, consider what the direct object of the sentence is.

Leonardo ate a delicious pepperoni pizza.
The wealthy man bought three paintings.
She really hates broccoli.

4. Intransitive verbs

The opposite of a transitive verb is an intransitive verb . A verb is an intransitive verb if it is not used with a direct object. Remember, only nouns, pronouns, and noun phrases can be direct objects. Prepositional phrases , adjectives , and adverbs cannot be used as direct objects. Once again, both action and stative verbs can be used as intransitive verbs.

Examples intransitive verbs in a sentence

Each of these sentences uses intransitive verbs. Look carefully and you will see that none of these sentences have direct objects.

Airplanes fly .
The children slept while the adults worked.
The terrified monkeys hid in the trees after they saw the gigantic hungry snake.

5. Linking verbs

Linking verbs are a special type of stative verb whose name gives a big clue as to what they do. Linking verbs are used to link a subject with a subject complement . A subject complement describes or identifies the subject of the sentence or clause. Linking verbs can function as intransitive verbs, which do not take direct objects.

List of words used as linking verbs

Examples of linking verbs in a sentence.

In each of the following sentences, linking verbs are used to link a subject with a subject complement.

Mike is a great dancer.
That gold watch looks expensive.
Suddenly, the mall got really crowded.

6. Helping verbs (auxiliary verbs)

Helping verbs, also called auxiliary verbs, are helpful verbs that work with other verbs to change the meaning of a sentence. A helping verb combines with a main verb in order to accomplish different goals. These include changing the tense of the verb or altering the mood of a sentence.

List of words used as helping verbs

Examples of helping verbs in a sentence.

Each of the following sentences uses a helping verb. Take a moment to consider what each sentence is saying and how a helping verb contributes to the meaning of the sentence.

The musician has performed in concerts all over the world.
My cat is getting slow in her old age.
Cheetahs can run incredibly fast.

7. Modal verbs

Modal verbs are a subgroup of helping verbs that are used to give a sentence a specific mood. Each modal verb is used differently, and they can express concepts such as ability, necessity, possibility, or permission.

List of verbs used as modal verbs

Examples of modal verbs in a sentence.

The following sentences all use modal verbs to express a certain tone. You’ll see that each sentence would have a different meaning (or wouldn’t make sense) without the modal verb.

Once you finish your homework, you may play outside.
We must carefully add two eggs to the mixing bowl.
I would go to the movies if I wasn’t busy working.

Learn about one certain mood that confuses many: the subjunctive mood.

8. Regular verbs

A verb is considered a regular verb if its past tense form and past participle ends in -ed , -d , or the verb is a -t variant verb. For example, the verb look is a regular verb because both its past tense form and past participle is looked . Sometimes, regular verbs may slightly change spelling. For example, the past tense and past participle of cry is cried .

List of regular verbs

jump becomes jumped
slip becomes slipped
try becomes tried
sleep becomes slept
lend becomes lent

Examples of regular verbs in a sentence

Each of the following sentences use regular verbs in either their past tense form or as a past participle.

He walked two miles to the post office.
We purchased all of the supplies that we needed for the camping trip.
Tiffany had noticed something strange about Marcus’s story.

9. Irregular verbs

An irregular verb is a verb whose past tense and past participle form doesn’t end in -ed , -d , and doesn’t use the – t variant. Often, the spelling of these verbs changes dramatically or may not even change at all.

List of irregular verbs

be becomes am , is , are , was , were , be , being , and been
eat becomes ate , eaten
fly becomes flew , flown
catch becomes caught , caught
set becomes set , set

Examples of irregular verbs in a sentence

The following sentences use irregular verbs. Despite being used in the past tense or as a past participle, none of these verbs end in -ed , -d , or are a -t variant verb.

Cindy knew all of the right answers.
This junky computer has given me nothing but headaches since I bought it.
The workers took the furniture out of the moving truck.

10. Phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb with prepositions and/or adverbs that have a different meaning from the individual words used to form them. For example, the verb shut means “to close,” and the adverb down means “not up” or “in a descending direction.” However, the phrasal verb shut down means to stop the operation of something.

List of phrasal verbs

put up with
talk down to

Examples of phrasal verbs in a sentence

The following sentences show how we can use phrasal verbs. Sometimes, we can separate out the words of a phrasal verb and the sentence is still grammatically correct.

The frustrated business owner closed down his store.
Dave loves to show off his baseball trophies.
My mother always told me it is a good idea to put some money away in case of emergencies.

11. Infinitives

Our last type of verb isn’t actually a verb at all —sorry about that! However, infinitives look a lot like verbs because they are derived from them. An infinitive of a verb is identical to the base form of the verb. For example, the infinitive form of the verb open is open . Typically, we use infinitives with the word to in order to form infinitive phrases. Infinitive phrases can be used for a variety of reasons, such as to act like nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

Examples of infinitive phrases in a sentence

All of the following sentences use infinitive phrases. In order, the infinitive phrases are acting as a noun ( nominal infinitive), an adjective ( adjectival infinitive), and an adverb ( adverbial infinitive).

To play guitar in a rock band is my goal.
If you are looking for the best restaurants in town, Luis is the person to ask .
The writing in the letter was too small to see .

Find out how well you know the types of verbs by taking this quiz!

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Essay Topics – List of 500+ Essay Writing Topics and Ideas

List of 500+ essay writing topics and ideas.

Essay topics in English can be difficult to come up with. While writing essays , many college and high school students face writer’s block and have a hard time to think about topics and ideas for an essay. In this article, we will list out many good essay topics from different categories like argumentative essays, essays on technology, environment essays for students from 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grades. Following list of essay topics are for all – from kids to college students. We have the largest collection of essays. An essay is nothing but a piece of content which is written from the perception of writer or author. Essays are similar to a story, pamphlet, thesis, etc. The best thing about Essay is you can use any type of language – formal or informal. It can biography, the autobiography of anyone. Following is a great list of 100 essay topics. We will be adding 400 more soon!

But Before that you may wanna read some awesome Essay Writing Tips here .

500+ essay topics for students and children

Get the Huge list of 100+ Speech Topics here

Argumentative Essay Topics

Should plastic be banned?
Pollution due to Urbanization
Education should be free
Should Students get limited access to the Internet?
Selling Tobacco should be banned
Smoking in public places should be banned
Facebook should be banned
Students should not be allowed to play PUBG

Essay Topics on Technology

Wonder Of Science
Mobile Phone

Essay Topics on Festivals on Events

Independence Day (15 August)
Teachers Day
Summer Vacation
Children’s Day
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Janmashtami
Republic Day

Essay Topics on Education

Education Essay
Importance of Education
Contribution of Technology in Education

Essay Topics on Famous Leaders

Mahatma Gandhi
APJ Abdul Kalam
Jawaharlal Nehru
Swami Vivekananda
Mother Teresa
Rabindranath Tagore
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Subhash Chandra Bose
Abraham Lincoln
Martin Luther King
Lal Bahadur Shashtri

Essay Topics on Animals and Birds

My Favorite Animal

Essays Topics About Yourself

My Best Friend
My Favourite Teacher
My Aim In Life
My Favourite Game – Badminton
My Favourite Game – Essay
My Favourite Book
My Ambition
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
India of My Dreams
My School Life
I Love My Family
My Favourite Subject
My Favourite Game Badminton
My Father My Hero
My School Library
My Favourite Author
My plans for summer vacation

Essay Topics Based on Environment and Nature

Global Warming
Environment
Air Pollution
Environmental Pollution
Water Pollution
Rainy Season
Climate Change
Importance Of Trees
Winter Season
Deforestation
Natural Disasters
Save Environment
Summer Season
Trees Our Best Friend Essay In English

Essay Topics Based on Proverbs

Health Is Wealth
A Stitch in Time Saves Nine
An Apple a Day Keeps Doctor Away
Where there is a will, there is way
Time and Tide wait for none

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Essay Topics for Students from 6th, 7th, 8th Grade

Noise Pollution
Environment Pollution
Women Empowerment
Time and Tide Wait for none
Science and Technology
Importance of Sports
Sports and Games
Time Management
Cleanliness is next to Godliness
Cleanliness
Rome was not Built in a Day
Unemployment
Clean India
Cow Essay In English
Describe Yourself
Festivals Of India
Ganesh Chaturthi
Healthy Food
Importance Of Water
Plastic Pollution
Value of Time
Honesty is the Best Policy
Gandhi Jayanti
Human Rights
Knowledge Is Power
Same Sex Marriage
Childhood Memories
Cyber Crime
Kalpana Chawla
Punctuality
Rani Lakshmi Bai
Spring Season
Unity In Diversity
Artificial Intelligence
Online Shopping
Indian Culture
Healthy Lifestyle
Indian Education System
Disaster Management
Environmental Issues
Freedom Fighters
Grandparents
Save Fuel For Better Environment
Importance Of Newspaper
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Raksha Bandhan
World Environment Day
Narendra Modi
What Is Religion
Charity Begins at Home
A Journey by Train
Ideal student
Save Water Save Earth
Indian Farmer
Safety of Women in India
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Capital Punishment
College Life
Natural Resources
Peer Pressure
Nature Vs Nurture
Romeo And Juliet
Generation Gap
Makar Sankranti
Constitution of India
Girl Education
Importance of Family
Importance of Independence Day
Brain Drain
A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed
Action Speaks Louder Than Words
All That Glitters Is Not Gold
Bhagat Singh
Demonetization
Agriculture
Importance of Discipline
Population Explosion
Poverty in India
Uses Of Mobile Phones
Water Scarcity
Train Journey
Land Pollution
Environment Protection
Indian Army
Uses of Internet
All that Glitters is not Gold
Balanced Diet
Blood Donation
Digital India
Dussehra Essay
Energy Conservation
National Integration
Railway Station
Sachin Tendulkar
Health And Hygiene
Importance Of Forest
Indira Gandhi
Laughter Is The Best Medicine
Career Goals
Mental Health
Save Water Save Life
International Yoga Day
Winter Vacation
Soil Pollution
Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining
Indian Culture And Tradition
Unity Is Strength
Unity is Diversity
Wildlife Conservation
Cruelty To Animals
Nelson Mandela
Of Mice And Men
Organ Donation
Life in a Big City
Democracy in India
Waste Management
Biodiversity
Afforestation
Female Foeticide
Harmful Effects Of Junk Food
Rain Water Harvesting
Save Electricity
Social Media
Social Networking Sites
Sound Pollution
Procrastination
Life in an Indian Village
Life in Big City
Population Growth
World Population Day
Greenhouse Effect
Statue of Unity
Traffic Jam
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
Importance of Good Manners
Good Manners
Cyber Security
Green Revolution
Health And Fitness
Incredible India
Make In India
Surgical Strike
Triple Talaq
A Good Friend
Importance of Friends in our Life
Should Plastic be Banned
Nationalism
Traffic Rules
Effects of Global Warming
Fundamental Rights
Solar System
National Constitution Day
Good Mother
Importance of Trees in our Life
City Life Vs Village Life
Importance of Communication
Conservation of Nature
Man vs. Machine
Indian Economy
Mothers Love
Importance of National Integration
Black Money
Greenhouse effect
Untouchability
Self Discipline
Global Terrorism
Conservation of Biodiversity
Newspaper and Its Uses
World Health Day
Conservation of Natural Resources
A Picnic with Family
Indian Heritage
Status of Women in India
Child is Father of the Man
Reading is Good Habit
Plastic Bag
Terrorism in India
Library and Its Uses
Life on Mars
Urbanization
Pollution Due to Diwali
National Flag of India
Vocational Education
Importance of Tree Plantation
Summer Camp
Vehicle Pollution
Women Education in India
Seasons in India
Freedom of the Press
Caste System
Environment and Human Health
Mountain Climbing
Depletion of Natural Resources
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Health Education
Effects of Deforestation
Life after School
Starvation in India
Jan Dhan Yojana
Impact of Privatization
Election Commission of India
Election and Democracy
Prevention of Global Warming
Impact of Cinema in Life
Subhas Chandra Bose
Dowry System
Ganesh Chaturthi Festival
Role of Science in Making India
Impact of Global Warming on Oceans
Pollution due to Festivals
Ambedkar Jayanti
Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
Family Planning in India
Democracy vs Dictatorship
National Festivals of India
Sri Aurobindo
Casteism in India
Organ trafficking
Consequences of Global Warming
Role of Human Activities in Global Warming
Issues and Problems faced by Women in India
Role of Judiciary in the Country Today
Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan
PUBG Mobile Game Addiction
Role of Youths in Nation Building
Value of Oxygen and Water in Life/Earth
Farmer Suicides in India
Start-up India
Pollution Due to Firecrackers
Life of Soldiers
Child Labour
Save Girl Child
Morning Walk
My School Fete
Essay on Financial Literacy
Essay On Sustainable Development
Essay On Punjab
Essay On Travel
My Home Essay
Child Marriage Essay
Importance Of English Language Essay
Essay On Mass Media
Essay On Horse
Essay On Police
Essay On Eid
Essay On Solar Energy
Animal Essay
Essay On Mango
Gender Discrimination Essay
Essay On Advertisement
My First Day At School Essay
My Neighborhood Essay
True Friendship Essay
Work Is Worship Essay
Essay On Self Confidence
Essay On Superstition
Essay On Bangalore
Sex Vs Gender Essay
Essay On Social Issues
Time Is Money Essay
Essay About Grandmothers
Essay On Hard Work
First Day Of School Essay
Flowers Essay
My Favorite Food Essay
Essay on Birds
Essay on Humanity
Essay on Sun
Essay on Kargil War
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining Essay
Francis Bacon Essays
Importance of Cleanliness Essay
My Sister Essay
Self Introduction Essay
Solar Energy Essay
Sports Day Essa
Value Of Education Essay
Essay On Isro
Essay On Balance Is Beneficial
Essay On Reservation In India
Essay On Water Management
Essay On Smoking
Essay On Stress Management
Essay On William Shakespeare
Essay on Apple
Essay On Albert Einstein
Essay On Feminism
Essay On Kindness
Essay On Domestic Violence
Essay on English as a Global Language
Essay On Co-Education
Importance Of Exercise Essay
Overpopulation Essay
Smartphone Essay
Essay on River
Essay on Cyclone
Essay On Facebook
Essay On Science In Everyday Life
Essay On Women Rights
Essay On Right To Education
Essay on Quotes
Essay On Peace
Essay On Drawing
Essay On Bicycle
Essay On Sexual Harassment
Essay On Hospital
Essay On Srinivasa Ramanujan
Essay On Golden Temple
Essay On Art
Essay On Ruskin Bond
Essay On Moon
Birthday Essay
Dont Judge A Book By Its Cover Essay
Draught Essay
Gratitude Essay
Indian Politics Essay
Who am I Essay
Essay on Positive Thinking
Essay on Dance
Essay on Navratri
Essay on Onam
Essay on New Education Policy 2020
Esasy on Thank you Coronavirus Helpers
Essay on Coronavirus and Coronavirus Symptoms
Essay on Baseball
Essay on coronavirus vaccine
Fitness beats pandemic essay
Essay on coronavirus tips
Essay on coronavirus prevention
Essay on coronavirus treatment
Essay on essay on trees
Essay on television
Gender inequality essay
Water conservation essay
Essay on Gurpurab
Essay on Types of sports
Essay on road safety
Essay on my favourite season
My pet essay
Student life essay
Essay on Railway station
Essay on earth
Essay on knowledge is power
Essay on favourite personality
Essay on memorable day of my life
My parents essay
Our country essay
Picnic essay
Travelling essay

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Academic writing is a formal style of writing used in universities and scholarly publications. It is characterised by a clear focus on argumentation, the presentation of evidence, and a logical structure. This type of writing is essential for communicating complex ideas and research findings in a coherent and credible manner.

What is Academic Writing?

Academic writing is a structured and evidence-based form of writing that is used to convey scholarly information. It includes essays, research papers, dissertations, and reports. This writing style emphasises clarity, precision, and a logical flow of ideas, often incorporating a formal tone and style. The main goal is to inform, argue, or analyse a topic based on evidence and sound reasoning.

Types of Academic Writing

There are several types of academic writing, each serving a different purpose:

These are short pieces of writing on a particular subject, presenting the author’s argument or perspective.

Detailed studies presenting original research findings, often published in academic journals.

Extensive research projects submitted as part of a degree program, presenting the author’s research and findings.

Comprehensive surveys of existing research on a particular topic.

Structured documents that describe and analyse specific topics or events.

Why is Academic Writing Important?

Academic writing is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it contributes to the body of knowledge in various fields, helping to advance understanding and innovation. Secondly, it allows scholars to communicate their findings and ideas clearly and effectively, fostering academic discourse and collaboration. Thirdly, academic writing helps develop critical thinking and analytical skills, as it requires writers to evaluate evidence, construct coherent arguments, and engage with complex ideas. Additionally, mastering academic writing is essential for academic and professional success, as it is a key component of most higher education curricula.

Academic Research Writing

Academic Writing Structure

The structure of academic writing typically follows a standardised format, which helps organise the content logically and coherently. The basic structure includes :

Introduction : This section introduces the topic, provides background information, and presents the research question or thesis statement.
Literature Review : A survey of existing research related to the topic, highlighting gaps and justifying the need for the current study.
Methodology : A detailed description of the research design, data collection, and analysis methods used in the study.
Results : Presentation of the research findings, often accompanied by tables, figures, and charts.
Discussion : Interpretation of the results, discussing their implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research.
Conclusion : A summary of the main findings and their significance, reiterating the importance of the study.

Academic Writing Styles

Academic writing can vary in style depending on the discipline and the type of writing. Common styles include :

APA Style: Used primarily in the social sciences, focusing on author-date citation and a clear, straightforward presentation.
MLA Style: Common in the humanities, emphasising author-page citation and often used in literature and language studies.
Chicago Style: Used in history and some other disciplines, offering flexibility with either author-date or notes and bibliography citation formats.
Harvard Style: Similar to APA, commonly used in various fields, known for its author-date citation format.

Each style has its own rules for formatting, citations, and references, which writers must adhere to ensure consistency and credibility.

Understanding academic writing is essential for students, researchers, and professionals engaged in scholarly work. It encompasses various types, each with a specific purpose, and follows a structured format to ensure clarity and coherence.

Academic writing is crucial for contributing to knowledge, developing critical skills, and achieving academic success. By mastering different academic writing styles and structures, writers can effectively communicate their ideas and research findings, advancing their field and fostering academic growth.

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The Four Core Types of Clouds

While clouds appear in infinite shapes and sizes, they fall into some basic forms. from his essay of the modifications of clouds (1803), luke howard divided clouds into three categories: cirrus, cumulus, and stratus, plus a fourth special type, nimbus..

How Clouds Form

	The Latin word "cirro" means curl of hair. Composed of ice crystals, cirro-form clouds are whitish and hair-like. There are the high, wispy clouds to first appear in advance of a low-pressure area such as a mid-latitude storm system or a tropical system such as a hurricane.
	Generally detached clouds, they look like white fluffy cotton balls. They show vertical motion or thermal uplift of air taking place in the atmosphere. They are usually dense in appearance with sharp outlines. The base of cumulus clouds are generally flat and occurs at the altitude where the moisture in rising air condenses.
	From the Latin word for "layer", these clouds are usually broad and fairly wide spread, appearing like a blanket. They result from non-convective rising air and tend to occur along and to the north of warm fronts. The edges of strato-form clouds are diffuse.
	Howard also designated a special rain cloud category which combined the three forms cumulo + cirro + stratus. He called this cloud "nimbus", the Latin word for rain. The vast majority of precipitation occurs from nimbo-form clouds and therefore these clouds are generally the thickest.

The Height of Clouds

The traditional division between the Polar and Temperate Regions is the Arctic Circle (66.5°N) in the Northern Hemisphere and the Antarctic Circle (66.5°S) in the Southern Hemisphere. The division between the Temperate and Tropical Regions are the Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N) in the Northern Hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S) in the Southern Hemisphere.

The actual division between these regions varies from day to day and season to season. Between the Polar and Temperate Regions lies the jet stream in both hemispheres, while the Sub-Tropical Jet Stream divides the Temperate and Tropical Regions.

These cores of strong wind decrease the maximum altitude of the tropopause in each region moving from the equator to the poles. Generally, as the tropopause's height decreases, the elevations at which clouds occur also decreases.

Chart showing the relative height of different clouds. Image-based depiction of the measurements in the table below.

The exception is low clouds which typically have cloud bases within the first 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) of the surface. But even that can vary.

The base of cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds can sometimes be higher than 6,500 feet (2,000 meters). During summertime, the base of these convective clouds will be well into the mid-level cloud range in the non-mountainous areas of the southwest United States.

Cumulus cloud bases have been observed up to 9,000 feet (2,750 meters) over North Central Texas, and thunderstorms with cloud bases from 11,000 to 12,000 feet (3,350 to 3,650 meters) have occurred near San Angelo, Texas.

This happens when, despite the dryness of the lower level of the atmosphere, the mid-level atmosphere is fairly moist and unstable. The dryness of the lower level is such that parcels of air need to rise up to two miles (3 km ), and sometimes more, before the they cool to the point of condensation.

Level	Polar Region	Temperate Region	Tropical Region
High Clouds	10,000-25,000 feet (3-8 km)	16,500-45,000 Feet (5-14 km)	20,000-60,000 feet (6-18 km)
Mid Clouds	6,500-13,000 feet (2-4 km)	6,500-23,000 feet (2-7 km)	6,500-25,000 feet (2-8 km)
Low Clouds	Surface-6,500 feet (0-2 km)	Surface-6,500 feet (0-2 km)	Surface-6,500 feet (0-2 km)

Since the jet stream follows the sun with the change of seasons, it shifts toward the equator as winter progresses. Therefore, the polar region expands, and the temperate region moves toward the equator. In summer, the Tropical Region expands while the polar region shrinks, shifting the temperate region toward the poles.

Jet Stream and Subtropical Jet Streams depicted as wavy arrows circling the globe from west to east and dividing each hemisphere into 3 regions: Polar, Temperate, and Tropical.

Learning Lesson : A 'Hole' Lot of Clouds 1

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What is cloud computing?

Group of white spheres on light blue background

With cloud computing, organizations essentially buy a range of services offered by cloud service providers (CSPs). The CSP’s servers host all the client’s applications. Organizations can enhance their computing power more quickly and cheaply via the cloud than by purchasing, installing, and maintaining their own servers.

The cloud-computing model is helping organizations to scale new digital solutions with greater speed and agility—and to create value more quickly. Developers use cloud services to build and run custom applications and to maintain infrastructure and networks for companies of virtually all sizes—especially large global ones. CSPs offer services, such as analytics, to handle and manipulate vast amounts of data. Time to market accelerates, speeding innovation to deliver better products and services across the world.

What are examples of cloud computing’s uses?

Get to know and directly engage with senior mckinsey experts on cloud computing.

Brant Carson is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Vancouver office; Chandra Gnanasambandam and Anand Swaminathan are senior partners in the Bay Area office; William Forrest is a senior partner in the Chicago office; Leandro Santos is a senior partner in the Atlanta office; Kate Smaje is a senior partner in the London office.

Cloud computing came on the scene well before the global pandemic hit, in 2020, but the ensuing digital dash helped demonstrate its power and utility. Here are some examples of how businesses and other organizations employ the cloud:

A fast-casual restaurant chain’s online orders multiplied exponentially during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns, climbing to 400,000 a day, from 50,000. One pleasant surprise? The company’s online-ordering system could handle the volume—because it had already migrated to the cloud . Thanks to this success, the organization’s leadership decided to accelerate its five-year migration plan to less than one year.
A biotech company harnessed cloud computing to deliver the first clinical batch of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate for Phase I trials in just 42 days—thanks in part to breakthrough innovations using scalable cloud data storage and computing to facilitate processes ensuring the drug’s safety and efficacy.
Banks use the cloud for several aspects of customer-service management. They automate transaction calls using voice recognition algorithms and cognitive agents (AI-based online self-service assistants directing customers to helpful information or to a human representative when necessary). In fraud and debt analytics, cloud solutions enhance the predictive power of traditional early-warning systems. To reduce churn, they encourage customer loyalty through holistic retention programs managed entirely in the cloud.
Automakers are also along for the cloud ride . One company uses a common cloud platform that serves 124 plants, 500 warehouses, and 1,500 suppliers to consolidate real-time data from machines and systems and to track logistics and offer insights on shop floor processes. Use of the cloud could shave 30 percent off factory costs by 2025—and spark innovation at the same time.

That’s not to mention experiences we all take for granted: using apps on a smartphone, streaming shows and movies, participating in videoconferences. All of these things can happen in the cloud.

Learn more about our Cloud by McKinsey , Digital McKinsey , and Technology, Media, & Telecommunications practices.

How has cloud computing evolved?

Going back a few years, legacy infrastructure dominated IT-hosting budgets. Enterprises planned to move a mere 45 percent of their IT-hosting expenditures to the cloud by 2021. Enter COVID-19, and 65 percent of the decision makers surveyed by McKinsey increased their cloud budgets . An additional 55 percent ended up moving more workloads than initially planned. Having witnessed the cloud’s benefits firsthand, 40 percent of companies expect to pick up the pace of implementation.

The cloud revolution has actually been going on for years—more than 20, if you think the takeoff point was the founding of Salesforce, widely seen as the first software as a service (SaaS) company. Today, the next generation of cloud, including capabilities such as serverless computing, makes it easier for software developers to tweak software functions independently, accelerating the pace of release, and to do so more efficiently. Businesses can therefore serve customers and launch products in a more agile fashion. And the cloud continues to evolve.

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Introducing McKinsey Explainers : Direct answers to complex questions

Cost savings are commonly seen as the primary reason for moving to the cloud but managing those costs requires a different and more dynamic approach focused on OpEx rather than CapEx. Financial-operations (or FinOps) capabilities can indeed enable the continuous management and optimization of cloud costs . But CSPs have developed their offerings so that the cloud’s greatest value opportunity is primarily through business innovation and optimization. In 2020, the top-three CSPs reached $100 billion in combined revenues—a minor share of the global $2.4 trillion market for enterprise IT services—leaving huge value to be captured. To go beyond merely realizing cost savings, companies must activate three symbiotic rings of cloud value creation : strategy and management, business domain adoption, and foundational capabilities.

What’s the main reason to move to the cloud?

The pandemic demonstrated that the digital transformation can no longer be delayed—and can happen much more quickly than previously imagined. Nothing is more critical to a corporate digital transformation than becoming a cloud-first business. The benefits are faster time to market, simplified innovation and scalability, and reduced risk when effectively managed. The cloud lets companies provide customers with novel digital experiences—in days, not months—and delivers analytics absent on legacy platforms. But to transition to a cloud-first operating model, organizations must make a collective effort that starts at the top. Here are three actions CEOs can take to increase the value their companies get from cloud computing :

Establish a sustainable funding model.
Develop a new business technology operating model.
Set up policies to attract and retain the right engineering talent.

How much value will the cloud create?

Fortune 500 companies adopting the cloud could realize more than $1 trillion in value by 2030, and not from IT cost reductions alone, according to McKinsey’s analysis of 700 use cases.

For example, the cloud speeds up design, build, and ramp-up, shortening time to market when companies have strong DevOps (the combination of development and operations) processes in place; groups of software developers customize and deploy software for operations that support the business. The cloud’s global infrastructure lets companies scale products almost instantly to reach new customers, geographies, and channels. Finally, digital-first companies use the cloud to adopt emerging technologies and innovate aggressively, using digital capabilities as a competitive differentiator to launch and build businesses .

If companies pursue the cloud’s vast potential in the right ways, they will realize huge value. Companies across diverse industries have implemented the public cloud and seen promising results. The successful ones defined a value-oriented strategy across IT and the business, acquired hands-on experience operating in the cloud, adopted a technology-first approach, and developed a cloud-literate workforce.

Learn more about our Cloud by McKinsey and Digital McKinsey practices.

What is the cloud cost/procurement model?

Some cloud services, such as server space, are leased. Leasing requires much less capital up front than buying, offers greater flexibility to switch and expand the use of services, cuts the basic cost of buying hardware and software upfront, and reduces the difficulties of upkeep and ownership. Organizations pay only for the infrastructure and computing services that meet their evolving needs. But an outsourcing model is more apt than other analogies: the computing business issues of cloud customers are addressed by third-party providers that deliver innovative computing services on demand to a wide variety of customers, adapt those services to fit specific needs, and work to constantly improve the offering.

What are cloud risks?

The cloud offers huge cost savings and potential for innovation. However, when companies migrate to the cloud, the simple lift-and-shift approach doesn’t reduce costs, so companies must remediate their existing applications to take advantage of cloud services.

For instance, a major financial-services organization wanted to move more than 50 percent of its applications to the public cloud within five years. Its goals were to improve resiliency, time to market, and productivity. But not all its business units needed to transition at the same pace. The IT leadership therefore defined varying adoption archetypes to meet each unit’s technical, risk, and operating-model needs.

Legacy cybersecurity architectures and operating models can also pose problems when companies shift to the cloud. The resulting problems, however, involve misconfigurations rather than inherent cloud security vulnerabilities. One powerful solution? Securing cloud workloads for speed and agility : automated security architectures and processes enable workloads to be processed at a much faster tempo.

What kind of cloud talent is needed?

The talent demands of the cloud differ from those of legacy IT. While cloud computing can improve the productivity of your technology, it requires specialized and sometimes hard-to-find talent—including full-stack developers, data engineers, cloud-security engineers, identity- and access-management specialists, and cloud engineers. The cloud talent model should thus be revisited as you move forward.

Six practical actions can help your organization build the cloud talent you need :

Find engineering talent with broad experience and skills.
Balance talent maturity levels and the composition of teams.
Build an extensive and mandatory upskilling program focused on need.
Build an engineering culture that optimizes the developer experience.
Consider using partners to accelerate development and assign your best cloud leaders as owners.
Retain top talent by focusing on what motivates them.

How do different industries use the cloud?

Different industries are expected to see dramatically different benefits from the cloud. High-tech, retail, and healthcare organizations occupy the top end of the value capture continuum. Electronics and semiconductors, consumer-packaged-goods, and media companies make up the middle. Materials, chemicals, and infrastructure organizations cluster at the lower end.

Nevertheless, myriad use cases provide opportunities to unlock value across industries , as the following examples show:

a retailer enhancing omnichannel fulfillment, using AI to optimize inventory across channels and to provide a seamless customer experience
a healthcare organization implementing remote heath monitoring to conduct virtual trials and improve adherence
a high-tech company using chatbots to provide premier-level support combining phone, email, and chat
an oil and gas company employing automated forecasting to automate supply-and-demand modeling and reduce the need for manual analysis
a financial-services organization implementing customer call optimization using real-time voice recognition algorithms to direct customers in distress to experienced representatives for retention offers
a financial-services provider moving applications in customer-facing business domains to the public cloud to penetrate promising markets more quickly and at minimal cost
a health insurance carrier accelerating the capture of billions of dollars in new revenues by moving systems to the cloud to interact with providers through easier onboarding

The cloud is evolving to meet the industry-specific needs of companies. From 2021 to 2024, public-cloud spending on vertical applications (such as warehouse management in retailing and enterprise risk management in banking) is expected to grow by more than 40 percent annually. Spending on horizontal workloads (such as customer relationship management) is expected to grow by 25 percent. Healthcare and manufacturing organizations, for instance, plan to spend around twice as much on vertical applications as on horizontal ones.

Learn more about our Cloud by McKinsey , Digital McKinsey , Financial Services , Healthcare Systems & Services , Retail , and Technology, Media, & Telecommunications practices.

What are the biggest cloud myths?

Views on cloud computing can be clouded by misconceptions. Here are seven common myths about the cloud —all of which can be debunked:

The cloud’s value lies primarily in reducing costs.
Cloud computing costs more than in-house computing.
On-premises data centers are more secure than the cloud.
Applications run more slowly in the cloud.
The cloud eliminates the need for infrastructure.
The best way to move to the cloud is to focus on applications or data centers.
You must lift and shift applications as-is or totally refactor them.

How large must my organization be to benefit from the cloud?

Here’s one more huge misconception: the cloud is just for big multinational companies. In fact, cloud can help make small local companies become multinational. A company’s benefits from implementing the cloud are not constrained by its size. In fact, the cloud shifts barrier to entry skill rather than scale, making it possible for a company of any size to compete if it has people with the right skills. With cloud, highly skilled small companies can take on established competitors. To realize the cloud’s immense potential value fully, organizations must take a thoughtful approach, with IT and the businesses working together.

For more in-depth exploration of these topics, see McKinsey’s Cloud Insights collection. Learn more about Cloud by McKinsey —and check out cloud-related job opportunities if you’re interested in working at McKinsey.

Articles referenced include:

“ Six practical actions for building the cloud talent you need ,” January 19, 2022, Brant Carson , Dorian Gärtner , Keerthi Iyengar, Anand Swaminathan , and Wayne Vest
“ Cloud-migration opportunity: Business value grows, but missteps abound ,” October 12, 2021, Tara Balakrishnan, Chandra Gnanasambandam , Leandro Santos , and Bhargs Srivathsan
“ Cloud’s trillion-dollar prize is up for grabs ,” February 26, 2021, Will Forrest , Mark Gu, James Kaplan , Michael Liebow, Raghav Sharma, Kate Smaje , and Steve Van Kuiken
“ Unlocking value: Four lessons in cloud sourcing and consumption ,” November 2, 2020, Abhi Bhatnagar , Will Forrest , Naufal Khan , and Abdallah Salami
“ Three actions CEOs can take to get value from cloud computing ,” July 21, 2020, Chhavi Arora , Tanguy Catlin , Will Forrest , James Kaplan , and Lars Vinter

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How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples

How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on February 4, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay . It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect.

The main goals of an introduction are to:

Catch your reader’s attention.
Give background on your topic.
Present your thesis statement —the central point of your essay.

This introduction example is taken from our interactive essay example on the history of Braille.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

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Step 1: hook your reader, step 2: give background information, step 3: present your thesis statement, step 4: map your essay’s structure, step 5: check and revise, more examples of essay introductions, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.

Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay, so spend some time on writing an effective hook.

Avoid long, dense sentences—start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

The hook should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of the topic you’re writing about and why it’s interesting. Avoid overly broad claims or plain statements of fact.

Examples: Writing a good hook

Take a look at these examples of weak hooks and learn how to improve them.

Braille was an extremely important invention.
The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

The first sentence is a dry fact; the second sentence is more interesting, making a bold claim about exactly why the topic is important.

The internet is defined as “a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities.”
The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education.

Avoid using a dictionary definition as your hook, especially if it’s an obvious term that everyone knows. The improved example here is still broad, but it gives us a much clearer sense of what the essay will be about.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a famous book from the nineteenth century.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement.

Instead of just stating a fact that the reader already knows, the improved hook here tells us about the mainstream interpretation of the book, implying that this essay will offer a different interpretation.

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Next, give your reader the context they need to understand your topic and argument. Depending on the subject of your essay, this might include:

Historical, geographical, or social context
An outline of the debate you’re addressing
A summary of relevant theories or research about the topic
Definitions of key terms

The information here should be broad but clearly focused and relevant to your argument. Don’t give too much detail—you can mention points that you will return to later, but save your evidence and interpretation for the main body of the essay.

How much space you need for background depends on your topic and the scope of your essay. In our Braille example, we take a few sentences to introduce the topic and sketch the social context that the essay will address:

Now it’s time to narrow your focus and show exactly what you want to say about the topic. This is your thesis statement —a sentence or two that sums up your overall argument.

This is the most important part of your introduction. A good thesis isn’t just a statement of fact, but a claim that requires evidence and explanation.

The goal is to clearly convey your own position in a debate or your central point about a topic.

Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will take.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

As you research and write, your argument might change focus or direction as you learn more.

For this reason, it’s often a good idea to wait until later in the writing process before you write the introduction paragraph—it can even be the very last thing you write.

When you’ve finished writing the essay body and conclusion , you should return to the introduction and check that it matches the content of the essay.

It’s especially important to make sure your thesis statement accurately represents what you do in the essay. If your argument has gone in a different direction than planned, tweak your thesis statement to match what you actually say.

To polish your writing, you can use something like a paraphrasing tool .

You can use the checklist below to make sure your introduction does everything it’s supposed to.

Checklist: Essay introduction

My first sentence is engaging and relevant.

I have introduced the topic with necessary background information.

I have defined any important terms.

My thesis statement clearly presents my main point or argument.

Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.

You have a strong introduction - now make sure the rest of your essay is just as good.

Argumentative
Literary analysis

This introduction to an argumentative essay sets up the debate about the internet and education, and then clearly states the position the essay will argue for.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

This introduction to a short expository essay leads into the topic (the invention of the printing press) and states the main point the essay will explain (the effect of this invention on European society).

In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.

This introduction to a literary analysis essay , about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , starts by describing a simplistic popular view of the story, and then states how the author will give a more complex analysis of the text’s literary devices.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale. Arguably the first science fiction novel, its plot can be read as a warning about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, and in popular culture representations of the character as a “mad scientist”, Victor Frankenstein represents the callous, arrogant ambition of modern science. However, far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to gradually transform our impression of Frankenstein, portraying him in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Ad hominem fallacy
Post hoc fallacy
Appeal to authority fallacy
False cause fallacy
Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

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Grammar Checker
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Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.

To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

It gives your writing direction and focus.
It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

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1. Build the Essay Around a Central Question

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Kinds of Essay

2. Reflective Essay:

4. Expository/ Explanatory Essay:

Difference between Essays

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Essay Examples & Writing Tips for ESL/EFL Students (updated 2024)

Essay Examples and Tips For ESL Students

SAMPLE ESSAY 2. My Favorite Place

SAMPLE ESSAY 3. My Best Friend

SAMPLE ESSAY 4. Trip to the Zoo

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Exercise 6: Writing an essay for examination from 2024 (Ultimate Guide)

So, what is an essay?

The Tone and Register of an Essay

Differences between an article and an essay

Tone and style:

The format of a one-sided argument essay

The format of a two-sided argument essay

Introduction

One-sided essay structure:

Two-sided essay structure:

General guidelines for both kinds of essays:

When presenting the first point (used in the 1 st body paragraph of both one-sided essays and two-sided essays)

When adding more points to the same side of the argument

When contrasting ideas (typically used to introduce the opposite viewpoint in the 2 nd body paragraph of a two-sided essay

When giving examples

When reasoning:

When highlighting and stressing

Points to keep in mind

Don’ts