Expository Essay structure
The typical structure for an expository essay is the traditional five-paragraph essay. This includes an introduction, a conclusion, and three paragraphs for the body. This is the basic essay structure. Mostly the body paragraphs are limited to one subtopic each. Also in the expository writing the number of paragraphs may vary according to context. It does not matter how long your essay is. What is really important that the introduction includes your thesis statement and that an essay is based on facts rather than your opinion. And keep in mind to connect your paragraphs with transitions, as it is in all good writing.
Once you have your thesis settled and your method of writing decided, establish an outline for it. Give it an introduction, a discussion and exposition, and conclusion. Finish your work by demonstrating how your thesis has been proven through the facts presented. And after that, you just move forward to fill your outline with the content, arranging it in a proper structure.
Writing Introduction
The introduction to an expository essay focuses the reader to the writer’s purpose as well as indicates something about what the reader can expect to find in the remainder of the essay. Most introductions contain a thesis statement that announces the main point of the writer’s intention. Although some authors may choose to let the reader conclude what their thesis is. And so they may place the thesis statement at the end of the essay rather than at the beginning. There are many ways to write an introduction. Some of them are followed:
- General to specific. You may begin with a generalization about the topic and move further to a statement of the writing purpose.
- Thesis statement. The thesis is the key of main idea to be supported by the writer throughout the essay.
- Outline. Often introductions present the problem or topic to be discussed and then salvation or several subtopics to follow. So the reader may expect that the body of the essay will cover those subtopics.
- Quotation. It is often an attention-grabbing way of opening your writing.
- Description. Sometimes an effective way to start expository writing is to describe someone or something.
- Asking a question. You may begin with a question that is another good way to hook a reader’s interest.
Remember that you are limited only by your imagination. Focus on several options and then pick the one that more appropriate for your topic and purpose of writing.
Developing the Body Paragraphs of Expository Essay
Once you made your decision about your introductions go back to your outline and see if the main points and the specific examples will logically follow from your introduction. You may want to rearrange the main point in the order that will be most clear and logical to the reader. Usually the introductions indicate the structure of the essay’s body.
The expository essay consists of factual statements, supporting details and commentary. While the factual statements are somewhat obvious and known, and supporting details illustrate or elaborate those statements, commentary offers opinions, analysis, interpretations, and so on. Commentary supports the factual statements to note something significant. An expellant expository essay should include more commentary than other supporting details.
In order to present an idea clearly you often have to do a lot of telling in expository writing. You need to state things exactly and directly. Make sure that your reader is understands what you intend to say. To illustrate those telling statements you may provide examples that show the reader what you mean.
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In order to support connection within an expository essay, it is important to develop the main ideas and supporting details in a way that move logically and build well toward your conclusion. Several methods can be used to produce the connection between introduction, main body, and conclusion; between paragraphs and between sentences.
- Subtopics are often use in a long writings as guide points for the reader to follow.
- By repeating a key word or phrase, you can strengthen links between different parts of an essay.
- By maintaining an appropriate tone in your writing, serious or humorous, you can express a clear sense of your attitude toward the topic.
- Transition words and phrases help the reader understand how your thoughts are flowing and guide them through an essay. In fact, there is a big list of transition words to be found in different sources.
Writing Your Conclusion
A well written conclusion will not only restate the main idea of the essay but also add some intensity of its statements. The following is a few suggestions to write the conclusion:
- One way to conclude an expository essay is to simply summarize or restate the main points that were stated in your essay’s body. In order to have a more intensive effect, avoid just repeating yourself. Instead, use your conclusion to emphasize a main idea to leave the reader with.
- By asking a question you may confirm your closing statements more effectively.
- Some conclusions create a very clear sense of ending where you began, coming a full circle.
- Conclusion also provides the writer with opportunity to solve the problem.
As with introductions so there are many ways to finish you essay. While you are writing the conclusion make sure that the statements logically derive from the ideas you have presented and developed throughout your writing.
Structure of an Expository Essay
Introduction – Attention grabber
- Opening Sentence
- Introduction Content – Background
- Thesis Statement
Body Paragraphs – The number of them depends on the context.
- Topic Sentence
- Supporting Evidence
- Body Paragraphs Analysis
- Transition
Conclusion – Closing ideas.
