Expository Essay

Performance Indicator:

P.S ELA-5 Writing Craft:   Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

A. Create an effective introduction.
B. Use showing details v. telling details.
C. Maintain a focus on the main idea throughout the body paragraphs.
D. Write an effective conclusion.

VIDEO:  Expository Essay

Expository essays require that the writer gives information, explain the topic or define something. To accomplish that, expository essays are best developed by the use of facts and statistical information, cause and effect relationships, or examples. Since they are factual, they are written without emotion and usually written in the third person. That means that the use of the pronoun “I” is not usually found in the essay.

Expository essays also have a distinct format.   5 Paragraph Essay Model

  • The thesis statement must be defined and narrow enough to be supported within the essay.
  • Each supporting paragraph must have a distinct controlling topic and all other sentences must factually relate directly to it. The transition words or phrases are important as they help the reader follow along and reinforce the logic.
  • Finally, the conclusion paragraph should originally restate the thesis and the main supporting ideas. Finish with a statement that reinforces your position in a meaningful and memorable way.
  • Never introduce new material in the conclusion.

Expository essays represent the most commonly composed writing in high schools and colleges.  Expository essays include:  compare/contrast essay, cause and effect essay, descriptive essay, novel centered essay, persuasive essay

 

Writing the expository essay… The expository essay is structurally precise, although the initial statements in the introduction vary, the structure is similar throughout.

 

Introduction                                                         Body                                    Conclusion

A general, directed statement                                    Topic sentence                Restate the thesis

Direct the attention to your expressed                    Opinion                            Provide final
specific purpose                                                                                                      example/analogy/
excerpts

A clarifying example of your opening                     Support- fact, quote,
thoughts, or points                                                     example

Declarative statement (introduces your thesis)    Clarify

Thesis statement                                                        Conclusive Statement     Conclude with                                                                                                                                            your lesson of                                                                                                                                     life statement          

When organizing and composing an expository essay always bear in mind your responsibility to your reader.