Essay Writing: Overcoming a Student's Nightmare

By : ABIDAH BT SARAJUL HAQ ENGLISH LANGUAGE MASTER TEACHER

The most common form of writing in the English Language exam paper is obviously essay writing . Knowing how to write an essay effectively is a fundamental skill for students of all levels. The different types of essays follow the same pattern as you write . It has namely an introduction, body and a conclusion. Unfortunately, many students find writing essays at PMR level is a tedious task. But DO NOT FEAR ! essay writing may seem an obstacle to you , but once you learn the "tricks of the trade," writing them becomes easier and eventually, even enjoyable. The method used is almost identical for journalists. So if you are an aspiring writer, learning the essay format can put you ahead of the others in your class. Now let us look at the types of essay that you need to write at PMR level.

ANALYSIS OF PMR ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 : GUIDED WRITING SECTION 2005 -2007

YEAR 2005 2006 2007

TYPE OF ESSAY Descriptive essay : writing an event based on given pictures Informal letter : invitation to a campsite Writing a story based on given pictures

Most of the essay that you have studied requires you to either narrate , describe and elaborate on the given notes in the exam question paper.

Writing a 5 - paragraph essay ..

Writing a good five-paragraph essay requires that one to master the format. What is required for writing a good five-paragraph essay is the same as for any good writing, but that the five-paragraph format needs to be exact. Through practice, proficiency is achieved. Through practice using a good planning pattern, the process becomes a second nature thinking skill. Remember that the practice is not drill as the product is ever changing. Mistakes will be made, but good evaluation, especially self-evaluation will see that the mistakes are not repeated. Since writing is communication, always remember that the goal is to become clear, concise, and unified so that the reader can follow along and appreciate the writer's point of view and train of thought. The five-paragraph essay is a great tool for learning and communicating at all levels.

As you've probably noticed, essay writing assignments can pop up in any class. An essay is a literary composition that expresses a certain idea, claim, or concept and backs it up with supporting statements. It will follow a logical pattern, to include an introductory paragraph (make the claim), a body (support), and a conclusion (summary of statements and support). English and Literature teachers use them on a regular basis, but essays are also a test tool used commonly in the social sciences, and even in math and science class. Of course, essays play a big role in the college application process, as well. In short, there's just no avoiding essays, as long as you're in school! Luckily, you can learn to craft a great essay if you can follow the standard pattern and write in a clear and organized manner.

Introduction
The introduction is the first paragraph in your essay, and it should accomplish a few specific goals. 1. Capture the reader's interest It's a good idea to start your essay with a really interesting statement, in order to pique the reader's interest.

Avoid starting out with a boring line like "In this essay I will explain why Rosa Parks was an important figure." Instead, try something like "A Michigan museum recently paid $492,000 for an old, dilapidated bus from Montgomery, Alabama." The second sentence sounds much more interesting, doesn't it? It would encourage most people to keep on reading. 2. Introduce the topic The next few sentences should explain your first statement, and prepare the reader for your thesis statement. "The old yellow bus was reported to be the very one that sparked the civil rights movement, when a young woman named Rosa Parks..." 3. Make a claim or express your opinion in a thesis sentence. Your thesis sentence should provide your specific assertion and convey clearly your point of view. "In refusing to surrender her seat to a white man, Rosa Parks inspired a courageous freedom movement that lives on, even today."

Body
The body of the essay will include three paragraphs, each limited to one main idea that supports your thesis. You should state your idea, then back it up with two or three sentences of evidence or examples. Example of a main idea: "It took incredible courage for an African American woman to make such a bold stance in 1955 Alabama." Offer evidence to support this statement: "This act took place in an era when African Americans could be arrested and face severe retribution for comitting the most trivial acts of defiance." Include a few more supporting statements with further evidence, then use transition words to lead to the following paragraph.

Sample transition words: moreover in fact on the whole furthermore as a result simply put for this reason similarly likewise it follows that naturally by comparison surely yet The fifth paragraph will be your conclusion.

Conclusion
The final paragraph will summarize your main points and re-assert your main claim. It should point out your main points, but should not repeat specific examples. Once you complete the first draft of your essay, it's a good idea to re-visit the thesis statement in your first paragraph. Read your essay to see if it flows well. You might find that the supporting paragraphs are strong, but they don't address the exact focus of your thesis. Simply re-write your thesis sentence to fit your body and summary more exactly. By doing this, you will ensure that every sentence in your essay supports, proves, or reflects your thesis. How to Write an Essay
There are many ways to write an essay. However, the standard essay form follows the same basic patterns as discussed in this "how to". Difficulty Level: Average Time Required: 30 minutes

Here's How:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Select the topic of your essay. Choose the central idea, or thesis, of your essay. For example: Information technology has revolutionized the way we work. Outline your essay into introductory, body and summary paragraphs. The introductory paragraph begins with an interesting sentence. For example: Home workers have grown from 150,000 to over 12 million in the past 5 years thanks to the wonders of the computer. After this first sentence, add your thesis statement from above. Use one sentence to introduce every body paragraph to follow. For example: The Internet has made this possible by extending the office into the home.

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Finish the introductory paragraph with a short summary or goal statement. For example: Technological innovation has thus made the traditional workplace obsolete. In each of the body paragraphs (usually two or three) the ideas first presented in the introductory paragraph are developed. Develop your body paragraphs by giving detailed information and examples. For example: When the Internet was first introduced it was used primarily by scientists, now it is common in every classroom. Body paragraphs should develop the central idea and finish with a summary of that idea. There should be at least two examples or facts in each body paragraph to support the central idea. The summary paragraph summarizes your essay and is often a reverse of the introductory paragrah. Begin the summary paragrah by quickly restating the principal ideas of your body paragraphs. For example: The Internet in the home, benefits and ease of use of modern computer systems... The penultimate sentence should restate your basic thesis of the essay. For example: We have now passed from the industrial revolution to the information revolution. Your final statement can be a future prediction based on what you have shown in the essay. For example: The next step: The complete disappearance of the workplace.

Tips:
1. 2. 3.

Use strong verbs and avoid modals to state your opinion. It is better to write: The workplace has evolved than THe workplace seems to have evolved Do not apologize for what you are saying. An essay is about your opinion. Do not translate from your mother tongue, it will quickly get you into trouble!

From Kenneth Beare,

How To Write an Essay

From Kenneth Beare, Your Guide to English as 2nd Language. FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! There are many ways to write an essay. However, the standard essay form follows the same basic patterns as discussed in this 'how to'. Difficulty: Average Time Required: 30 minutes

Here's How:
1. 2. Select the topic of your essay. Choose the central idea, or thesis, of your essay. For example: Information technology has revolutionized the way we work. 3. Outline your essay into introductory, body and summary paragraphs. 4. The introductory paragraph begins with an interesting sentence. For example: Home workers have grown from 150,000 to over 12 million in the past 5 years thanks to the wonders of the computer. Sponsored Links

Improve Your WritingDaily Articles on Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation and more.www.dailywritingtips.com Writing TipsFree Information, Articles, Ideas, Courses. It's All Herepositivehighenergywriting.com Write and Get PaidPublish articles on the web. Start earning royalties now.www.Triond.com
5. After this first sentence, add your thesis statement from above.

6.

Use one sentence to introduce every body paragraph to follow. For example: The Internet has made this possible by extending the office into the home. 7. Finish the introductory paragraph with a short summary or goal statement. For example: Technological innovation has thus made the traditional workplace obsolete. 8. In each of the body paragraphs (usually two or three) the ideas first presented in the introductory paragraph are developed. 9. Develop your body paragraphs by giving detailed information and examples. For example: When the Internet was first introduced it was used primarily by scientists, now it is common in every classroom. 10. Body paragraphs should develop the central idea and finish with a summary of that idea. There should be at least two examples or facts in each body paragraph to support the central idea. 11. The summary paragraph summarizes your essay and is often a reverse of the introductory paragrah. 12. Begin the summary paragrah by quickly restating the principal ideas of your body paragraphs. For example: The Internet in the home, benefits and ease of use of modern computer systems... 13. The penultimate sentence should restate your basic thesis of the essay. For example: We have now passed from the industrial revolution to the information revolution. 14. Your final statement can be a future prediction based on what you have shown in the essay. For example: The next step: The complete disappearance of the workplace.

Tips:
1. Use strong verbs and avoid modals to state your opinion. It is better to write: The workplace has evolved than The workplace seems to have evolved 2. Do not apologize for what you are saying. An essay is about your opinion. 3. Do not translate from your mother tongue. It will quickly get you into trouble!

What You Need:

Computer or Typewriter Dictionary Thesaurus

Young Learner's Writing Workshop 1

Many young learners are required to write essays in English. While most of these students also write essays for other courses in their native language, they often feel hesitant when writing essays in English. This series of four lessons is designed to help students become familiar with writing an essay in English. The first lesson is designed to give students an overview of basic essay writing style. The final three lessons focus on developing skills that are used when analyzing texts as the basis of their essays.

Aim: Learning basic essay structure for young learners to use for text analysis Activity: Overview of basic essay structure presentation with students working together to develop an essay outline Level: Young Learners - upper intermediate Outline:

Choose a short story that your class is very familiar with, and about which they will surely have strong opinions. In a brainstorming session, ask students the following questions (you may want to have the students work on these questions in small groups and then review their answers as a class): o Who are the main characters of the story? o What are the main events of the story? o What roles do the main characters play in the main events of the story? o Is there a moral to the story? If yes, what do you think it is? o What did you learn from the story? Make a list of the most commonly held opinions and answers relating to the story. Give students the short outline to writing an essay. Have them read through the outline and answer any questions they may have. Ask students to break up into small groups and, using the information from the brainstorming session, fill in the outline questionnaire. Circulate around the class helping the groups come up with appropriate answers to the outline. Make sure that each student has a copy of the work they produce as this outline will be used as the base of an essay in a future lesson.
An Introduction to Writing an Essay

1. Select the topic of your essay. 2. Choose the central idea, or thesis, of your essay. For example: George Orwell's Animal Farm provides a fascinating allegory of life in a totalitarian society. 3. Outline your essay into introductory, body and summary paragraphs. 4. The introductory paragraph begins with an interesting sentence. For example: The idyllic setting of life on the farm provides little clue of the harsh realities George Orwell portrays in Animal Farm. 5. After this first sentence, add your thesis statement from above.

6. Use one sentence to introduce every body paragraph to follow. For example: Orwell's choice of pigs as the leaders of the farm can hardly be incidental. 7. Finish the introductory paragraph with a short summary or goal statement. For example: George Orwell's Animal Farm fascinates the reader through its extreme contrast between the idyllic and brutally realistic. 8. In each of the body paragraphs (usually two or three) the ideas first presented in the introductory paragraph are developed. 9. Develop your body paragraphs by giving detailed information and examples. For example: The struggle between the two leading pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, with its consequences felt by the population of the farm clearly illustrates how totalitarian leaders will put their own confrontations ahead of the population they are supposedly leading. 10. Body paragraphs should develop the central idea and finish with a summary of that idea. There should be at least two examples or facts in each body paragraph to support the central idea. 11. The summary paragraph summarizes your essay and is often a reverse of the of the introductory paragraph. 12. Begin the summary paragraph by quickly restating the principal ideas of your body paragraphs. For example: Through the use of symbolism in the portrayal of characters, setting and style, George Orwell's Animal Farm delivers a harsh criticism of totalitarian society. 13. The penultimate sentence should restate your basic thesis of the essay. For example: Animal Farm is a deceivingly simple allegory presenting totalitarian society in all its grimmest aspects. 14. Your final statement can be a future prediction based on what you have shown in the essay. For example: Considering the vast changes in the global political structure of the last twenty years, one can only hope that mankind has learned the lessons so elegantly told in George Orwell's Animal Farm.
Outline Questionnaire

This essay is about: __________________________________________

The essay is introduced by the following interesting statement: __________________________________________

This essay is introduced with the following idea: __________________________________________

The essay will illustrate the above idea by showing that: o (main point of paragraph 1) __________________________________________

This is shown by: 1. __________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________

(main point of paragraph 2) __________________________________________

This is shown by: 1. __________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________

(main point of paragraph 3) __________________________________________

This is shown by: 1. __________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________

To summarize, this essay has shown that: __________________________________________

1. 2.

The lessons that can be learned are: __________________________________________ __________________________________________

Printing Page Writers' Workshop - Lesson 1 - Basic Essay Structure Writers' Workshop - Lesson 2 - Developing a Character Analysis Writers' Workshop - Lesson 3 - Using Themes to Relate to a Story Writers' Workshop - Lesson 4 - Getting Ideas Organized
Back to lessons resource page

How To Write an Essay

From Kenneth Beare, Your Guide to English as 2nd Language. FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! There are many ways to write an essay. However, the standard essay form follows the same basic patterns as discussed in this 'how to'. Difficulty: Average Time Required: 30 minutes

Here's How:
1. 2. Select the topic of your essay. Choose the central idea, or thesis, of your essay. For example: Information technology has revolutionized the way we work. 3. Outline your essay into introductory, body and summary paragraphs. 4. The introductory paragraph begins with an interesting sentence. For example: Home workers have grown from 150,000 to over 12 million in the past 5 years thanks to the wonders of the computer. Sponsored Links

Improve Your WritingDaily Articles on Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation and more.www.dailywritingtips.com

Writing TipsFree Information, Articles, Ideas, Courses. It's All Herepositivehighenergywriting.com Write and Get PaidPublish articles on the web. Start earning royalties now.www.Triond.com
5. 6. After this first sentence, add your thesis statement from above. Use one sentence to introduce every body paragraph to follow. For example: The Internet has made this possible by extending the office into the home. 7. Finish the introductory paragraph with a short summary or goal statement. For example: Technological innovation has thus made the traditional workplace obsolete. 8. In each of the body paragraphs (usually two or three) the ideas first presented in the introductory paragraph are developed. 9. Develop your body paragraphs by giving detailed information and examples. For example: When the Internet was first introduced it was used primarily by scientists, now it is common in every classroom. 10. Body paragraphs should develop the central idea and finish with a summary of that idea. There should be at least two examples or facts in each body paragraph to support the central idea. 11. The summary paragraph summarizes your essay and is often a reverse of the introductory paragrah. 12. Begin the summary paragrah by quickly restating the principal ideas of your body paragraphs. For example: The Internet in the home, benefits and ease of use of modern computer systems... 13. The penultimate sentence should restate your basic thesis of the essay. For example: We have now passed from the industrial revolution to the information revolution. 14. Your final statement can be a future prediction based on what you have shown in the essay. For example: The next step: The complete disappearance of the workplace.

Tips:
1. Use strong verbs and avoid modals to state your opinion. It is better to write: The workplace has evolved than The workplace seems to have evolved 2. Do not apologize for what you are saying. An essay is about your opinion. 3. Do not translate from your mother tongue. It will quickly get you into trouble!

What You Need:

Computer or Typewriter Dictionary Thesaurus

More How To's from your Guide To English as 2nd Language Suggested Reading Basic Essay Writing StyleWriting Lesson PlansWriting Resources Related Articles

How To Write an EssayThe Structure and Organization of a Personal StatementHow to Write a Five-Paragraph EssayLesson Plan for ESL TESOL EFL TEFL TESL English Young L...Writing an Essay: Example 4

Writing a good five-paragraph essay requires that one master the format. What is required for writing a good five-paragraph essay is the same as for any good writing, but that the five-paragraph format needs to be exact. Through practice, proficiency is achieved. Through practice using a good planning pattern, the process becomes a second nature thinking skill. Remember that the practice is not drill as the product is ever changing. Mistakes will be made, but good evaluation, especially self-evaluation

will see that the mistakes are not repeated. Since writing is communication, always remember that the goal is to become clear, concise, and unified so that the reader can follow along and appreciate the writer's point of view and train of thought. The fiveparagraph essay is a great tool for learning and communicating at all levels. What follows are merely ideas that I found to be personally useful. Use what you think will work, and forget the others. There is no sure fire way to teach or learn writing. There are some things that might make it easier, and that is what I am presenting. Give your class lots of opportunities to write throughout the year. Teach them the format. Let them learn one paragraph at a time. When they are ready, use this format or writing in every subject that you can. It stretches the kids and makes them see that this is not just state test writing. Show them that this is a bridge to letter writing, making oral presentations, and all of the areas that will that will be used in the future world of work. Let them see that they are getting ready to be successful. If you are a teacher, peer editing is a good technique to use here also. To aid in that, sometimes it is good to have the beginning student write on every other line or on wide line notebook paper so that there is room to make suggestions and revisions. Another technique is the use of an overhead projector. A poorly constructed paragraph can make for a great modeling experience as the class makes suggestions and chooses what they collectively consider to be the best revisions. Doing it with one paragraph is easy since the whole thing fits well on a transparency. Do remember that the whole class must read it, so use a large and simple font, perhaps in boldface, for the transparency. As the students get better and better, it is interesting to write better and better "poor" paragraphs. It is rewarding to see and point out to them the growth of the reasoning process as well as the writing. As a teacher, I hesitated to use any student essays for this purpose. I never wanted to embarrass a student in front of the class. Peer editing and small group conferences for revision can aid effectively individual students. Having students volunteer to read essays about which they feel some pride is also a good way to share. If they did any of these, I had a rule that good things had to be said before any suggestions were given. Examples or reasons had to be included. A student could not simply say that they liked it. They had to tell why. That way, each student would have a success experience and some suggestions for possible growth. Use written practice prompts whenever possible. This is especially true if you are using five paragraph essays for tests whether teacher given or state mandated. The written prompt has the advantage of aiding the writer in identifying all that is important in the assignment as well as being an effective place to go to double check that the assignment has been met when the writing is over and revision time is at hand.

For the teacher, it can be a good way to see and check that the student understands the assignment. Oral instructions are open to wide interpretation for a variety of reasons. Look Around for Examples and Develop a Program Having great examples to use is important. Sometimes one can find great examples of good essay writing by collecting and using good editorials or editorial columns with students. Occasional, one can find an exceptional letter to the editor. "Reader's Digest" or a similar publications often have some good examples of good writing. There are numerous student publications that may well come to your class or be in the resource center that can be an aid in letting the students see real world examples of fine writing. Knowing what is expected is important in goal setting. Using those same publications can be a great source of ideas for writing. Students can write essays in support or opposition to editorials or letters to the editor. Perhaps, they might be inspired to enter essay contests. Often the prize can be most worthwhile. They can use newspapers and magazines as sources of background information for their own essay about a particular topic. They can write articles about topics of importance to the school and submit them to the school paper or perhaps be included in your newsletter to parents. Providing background information for the writer is essential.

All essays follow the same pattern of production: choosing a topic and focus, preparing an outline, researching, drafting, and producing a final version. Choosing a Topic

You will develop more passionate, well argued essays if you write about a subject that sincerely interests you. Developing your own ideas is also a good exercise as it is the freelancer's job to sell an idea to an editor. If specific topics are assigned, however, look for these key words that can narrow the type of essay you must write: Define:Give a concise meaning of the topic. Compare/Contrast: Examine the similarities/differences between topics or ideas. Analyze: Show the nature and relationship of the topic. Explain: State the how and why, where possible, state causes. The most common error students make is choosing a topic which is far too broad to explore in a standard essay. For example, writing about propaganda in World War II could not be adequately discussed in a ten page paper, but it could be narrowed to discuss the propaganda efforts of British print media. Once you've chosen a topic, a thinking or "incubation" period gives you time to get used to the subject. Professors may touch on essay topics during lectures, so listen for clues. Focus You must develop a thesis statement. A thesis statement is one sentence which states the central idea of your essay - it is your point of view, not a statement of fact - and it 1) tells the reader exactly what you intend to accomplish in your paper, and 2) keeps you on track. Write your working thesis statement on an index card and keep it on hand as you research and write your paper. You may not finalize your thesis until you have written the first draft, so feel free to amend it if you develop new ideas during your research. Outline Brainstorm a list of questions about the topic. Group those ideas that seem to relate to each other, give them subheadings, and prepare an outline. Try to list your questions in a logical flow that builds information. Research Prepare a working bibliography - this is a list of the types of resources you

will need and the places you expect to find them. A working bibliography cuts your research time substantially by making only one trip to each resource centre. Resources include: texts, magazines, newspapers, films, experts, computer databases. Places include: libraries, resource centres, charitable or volunteer organizations. Take your working thesis and bibliography, questions, outline, and a pack of index cards with you and begin locating your sources. As you find each one (in a database or other indexing system), write down all the bibliographical information on a separate index card and number each one. Use a style guide and cite the bibliographical information correctly as you go - it saves time when compiling your bibliography. The Modern Language Association (MLA) is the authority on correct citations, and although it is handy to have a print copy of this invaluable guide, it is also available on the Web (http://falcon.eku.edu/honors/beyondmla/#citing_sites). Once you retrieve your sources, quickly double check the bibliographical information. Many students prefer to research at home, but by developing a working bibliography, and conducting your research at the source, you save time and energy by not lugging a dozen books home! Always skim the table of contents, headings, subheadings, appendices, index, and glossary of a textbook FIRST to determine its relevance. If current data is required, always check the publication dates. Write your notes on the back of the relevant bibliography card - this forces you to take very precise notes that focus only on the most important information. If you copy a lengthy quote, use a separate index card, note the page number, and staple it to its matching bibliography card. Once your research is complete, review your questions. Does the material gathered answer them? did you add or delete questions? Review your thesis statement - does it still make sense? does it still express the view you wish to take? Write the number of each bibliography card beside the relevant subheadings on your outline. You may want to rewrite your outline to include new information or ideas. The First Draft Use triple spacing when writing your first draft so that you have plenty of room for revisions. The introductory paragraph includes background information that sets up your thesis statement. Unless otherwise specified by your professor or course department, the thesis statement is the last sentence of your introductory paragraph. Write the body, or argument, of your essay in the same order as your

outline. Concentrate on getting the key points down, and always back up your opinions or conclusions with facts or examples. Document any ideas that are not your own by referring to your bibliography cards (footnote, endnote or MLA style). MLA style citations are made within the body of the paragraph. At the end of paraphrased material or quotes, write the author's last name and the page reference in brackets; if you have already used the author's name or the title in the paragraph, bracket only the page number. Refer to a style guide while you write and list your citations correctly the first time. Any direct quotes of less than four lines can be included within the paragraph; for longer ones, indent ten spaces from both left and right margins and use single spacing. Quotation marks are not required for indented quotes. An English professor once advised me that, while revising the first draft, ask "So what?" after each paragraph. If you can't answer this question after each one, the information probably doesn't support your thesis. No matter how wonderfully you write, if the information does not support your focus, it does not belong. Before you revise the first draft, ALWAYS read your essay out loud - even if your formal grammar skills are weak, you can often pick up errors by ear much easier than by eye. Now check for the following: Are there grammar, spelling or punctuation errors? Do the paragraphs flow naturally and build information? Is there only one idea per paragraph? Have you written in the 3rd person? Have you avoided using contractions (e.g., don't, won't, etc.)? Have you used the correct words for what you want to say? Are there better ones? Never use colloquial speech or jargon. The concluding paragraph summarizes how you proved your thesis statement in your essay. Rework your thesis statement into a concluding paragraph. The Final Cut Continue to revise until you have a version you are satisfied with. Prepare your bibliography page from your index cards, listing only those sources you used in your essay. All you need to do now is type up a final copy. Check for the following: If there was a style sheet provided by the department, have you followed their guidelines? Is it double spaced, typed on only one side of the page? Have you used 1" margins? Have you numbered the pages at the top right hand corner? Do not number the title, first, or bibliography pages of your essay. Your bibliography page is last. Finally, read your essay out loud again to check for spelling, grammar and punctuation, and to ensure that it flows logically. Keep a complete copy

for yourself - professors, like the rest of us, sometimes misplace things! Writing an essay may seem like the hardest task in the world, but to succeed as a student, and as a writer, it is a format that should be learned thoroughly and well. A tried and true method of researching and writing any type of assignment helps you organize your thoughts, your time, and alleviates that anxious "How do I begin?" phase. Writing essays well is a valuable skill for both school and business. And who knows? All that time you spend writing your A+ essays just might get you a job as a writer. It worked for me.

How to Write a Basic Essay

By baw0412

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Thousands of high school and college students stress each year about those pesky essays English teachers assign to students. Many students dont see any use for them because they plan to be a mechanic or construction worker where not a lot of writing is required. But being able to convey your thoughts and ideas in a clear and concise way can be beneficial no matter what field you may enter. So for those who simply want to get a good enough grade so you wont have to take that English class again, here are some steps that should get you by. Flag Article

Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate

Things Youll Need:

Open mind Pencil or pen Paper/word processing program

Step 1: In most cases your teacher/instructor will tell you to pick any topic to write about. Therefore, pick a topic that interests you or a memorable moment. If youre a sports fan then write a paper on the history of your favorite sport, why a particular sport is your favorite, how to play a sport, rules to the game, or a memorable moment you had playing that sport. You cant do a good job if you dont have any interest in the subject. Step 2: Write an introduction paragraph explaining to the audience what your paper will be about. Seems simple enough, but many times this can be one of the most difficult parts to writing an essay. Basically look at your opening paragraph as a sneak preview to a movie. Think to yourself that youre about to tell your audience what they are going to read without giving away what youve written. If you are about to explain your love for something, open your essay by saying why you love that sport, book or song, and then tell your audience how you are about to go into detail about how you fell in love for that special thing. Step 3: Write your thesis statement, which is the last sentence of your first paragraph. The thesis statement brings closure to your opening paragraph and specifically states what your paper will be about. You might have started your paragraph by stating how everyone has hobbies and why each individual chooses their own specific hobby, and then state your favorite hobby. Well once you get to that last sentence in your first paragraph just simply tell your readers something along the lines of, I will tell you how I got started in collecting stamps and why this hobby has brought me great joy and a tradition I hope to pass on to my children. Step 4: Write an outline of your three to five main points. The paragraphs that are stuck between your opening and closing paragraphs should each have one idea that takes center stage. For example, you may have three paragraphs describing your fondness for collecting stamps. The first point discusses how you got in the hobby, the second paragraph discusses the first steps you took in getting into the hobby, and the third paragraph explains the joy you get out of collecting stamps. The easiest and most basic way of writing an essay is to think chronologically where you begin with the first step and end with the final one.

Step 5: Write each individual paragraph that follows your opening one using the information from your outline. Step 6: Write your conclusion paragraph. There are two ways to end an essay. The easiest one is to simply restate your main points. The second way is to tell your readers what you got out of writing your thoughts down or what you hope your audience got out of reading your paper.