Writing an Expository Essay

Learning to write a proper five paragraph persuasive essay is a very valuable writing skill that will apply to coursework and exams students will take in the secondary and post-secondary level, especially at international or Western schools. For this reason I make sure to assign at least one a year for my Middle School Program students so they can get the practice they need to succeed. Below is a quick summary of how to put together a persuasive essay.

An expository essay answers a question where that has a very long answer, like "What were the main causes of World War I?" or "What were Emperor Qin Shi Huang's major contributions to the future of China?". These questions require many paragraphs and supporting factual evidence to answer. You MUST write an essay. An expository essay differs from a persuasive essay because you are not arguing one answer is better than another, you are showing that you know the right answer. That's an important difference. A teacher asks you to write an expository essay because he wants you to demonstrate how much you know and understand a topic already taught. Essays are one of the only ways a teacher can see how you think.

Use a prewrite sheet to plan your essay before drafting. Review how to write a five paragraph expository essay with the images below. Use the example at the bottom to model your own essay after.