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The huge difference between primary and secondary school English can be said to lie in paper 1, where in primary school, it is known as continuous writing, where students are required to write a composition, which is actually narrative, as compared to now in secondary school, students are required to write an essay. So we need to know how to write an excellent expository essay.
Here comes the problem, there are so many types of essay – Narrative, Descriptive, Expository, Argumentative and so on. Most students tend to fall back on the knowledge they already have and choose to write a narrative essay.
However, this article will try to convince you that an expository essay is actually easy to write, as long as you are equipped with the right skills and knowledge.
How To Write An Excellent Expository Essay
Of course, the most important thing would be how to start writing the expository essay. Firstly, it is crucial that you are aware of the general structure of the essay. Understanding the structure serves as a ‘template’ for students to adhere to, contributing to a logical, coherent flow. There are generally 5 paragraphs in an expository essay:
Introduction
The introduction usually consists of a hook to capture the reader’s attention and an overview of the main topic and the 3 main points you are going to discuss in the body of this essay (thesis statement).
Three body paragraphs
Each body paragraph will expand and elaborate on one key point that directly responds to the essay question.
Conclusion
The conclusion usually consists of a short summary of the 3 main points again and ends off with something deeper about the essay topic for the reader to ponder about.
Expository essays require you to carefully examine a topic, collect and organize your thoughts, and present them in a clear and concise way. This can be a challenge, but it is well worth the effort. By learning how to write excellent expository essays, you will be able to communicate your ideas effectively and persuasively. Here are some tips to help you get started:
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Question analysis and planning
When you receive the question paper, analyse the question carefully and highlight the keywords. For example, if the question is “Who is the person you admire the most and why?”, the keywords will be “person” and “admire the most”. You will need to specify who the person is and the 3 reasons why you admire him/her. The person can be your mother, your father or even your teacher.
Do spend around five to ten minutes to brainstorm, plan and organise your essay. Time spent for essay planning is not time wasted at all! In fact, it helps to ensure a smooth flow of ideas and helps to prevent you getting stuck in the middle of writing and have no idea how to continue.
Planning will help ensure that your essay is well-organized and flows smoothly. There are a few things to keep in mind when planning:
- Your goal is to explain something to your reader. Make sure that you are clear about what you want to explain, and that your explanation is easy to follow.
- Use evidence to support your explanation. This could include examples, data, or quotes from experts.
- Be sure to structure your essay in a way that makes sense. An introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion will help ensure that your essay is well-organized and easy to follow. It is recommended to follow the structure mentioned at the beginning.
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PEEL format for body paragraphs
For the 3 body paragraphs, students can try to adopt the PEEL format (Point, Explanation, Evidence, Link). This would allow a neater and more coherent presentation of ideas in the body paragraphs.
Point: Make a point about the topic in each paragraph. For example, if the question is “Who is the person you admire the most and why?”, your points might be “The person I admire the most is my mother because she is responsible and is able to balance both her household and work commitments well.”
Explanation: Explain why you admire this person and her qualities. This is where you will need to provide evidence to support your claims.
Evidence: Use examples, data, or quotes from experts to support your explanation. In this case, you can probably use anecdotes – real-life experiences to support your reason.
Link: Link your point back to the question. For example, if the question is “Who is the person you admire the most and why?”, you might say something like “I admire my mother because she is very responsible and never fails to perform up to her own standards.” Basically, it is reinforcing the point at the start of the paragraph.
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Reread and double check
After you’ve finished writing your expository essay, it is important to read it again a few times to ensure that all your grammar and punctuation are accurate, and there are no spelling mistakes. For homework or class assignments, you might also want to get someone else to read it for you, to see if they can understand everything you’ve written. Once you’re sure that your essay is error-free and flows well, you’re ready to submit it!
Expository essays are a common assignment in secondary schools. By following these simple tips, you can be sure to write an impressive expository essay that will stand out from the rest. So don’t be discouraged – with a little hard work and practice, you’ll be getting the highest marks in no time!
At Sophia Education, we place tremendous emphasis on building a strong foundation in language and literacy skills from a young age. We offer a range of courses and tuition services to help students improve their language skills and writing techniques, from primary school all the way through to JC.
We offer both 1-to-1 and small group classes to cater to the needs of all our students. With our tuition classes at Sophia Education, students are able to receive ample time for consultations to work through their doubts and misconceptions.
The small class sizes for our group tuition also ensure that our tutors with many years of experience can devote more attention to each student, a feat that might not be possible for regular school teachers who are focusing on up to 40 students at a time, which also allows us to provide personalised tuition services for every student.
If you’re looking to ace your English paper, we can help! Do not hesitate to contact us or visit our website for more information! We would be more than happy to discuss how we can help your child achieve academic success.
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