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Master the art of crafting a 5-paragraph essay – your ultimate guide to writing excellence.

Writing a 5 paragraph essay may seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach, it can be a manageable and even enjoyable endeavor. Whether you’re a student working on an assignment or someone looking to improve your writing skills, this guide will provide you with the essential steps and tips to create a successful 5 paragraph essay.

Structure : The key to a well-organized 5 paragraph essay is a clear and coherent structure. Begin with an introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and states your thesis. Follow this with three body paragraphs that each focus on a different aspect of your argument or topic. Finally, conclude with a summary of your main points in the conclusion.

Content : Each body paragraph should have a topic sentence that introduces the main idea, supporting sentences that provide evidence or examples, and a concluding sentence that ties everything together. Make sure to use transitions to smoothly connect your ideas and create a cohesive essay.

The Ultimate Guide: Crafting A 5 Paragraph Essay

When it comes to writing a 5 paragraph essay, there are certain steps that you need to follow in order to create a well-structured and cohesive piece of writing. This ultimate guide will walk you through the process of crafting a compelling essay that will impress your readers and clearly communicate your ideas.

The first step in crafting a 5 paragraph essay is to choose a topic that you are passionate about and that is relevant to your assignment or prompt. Once you have selected a topic, you will need to develop a strong thesis statement that clearly states your main argument or point of view.

After you have your thesis statement, you can begin outlining your essay using the traditional 5 paragraph structure. This includes an introduction, three body paragraphs (each with a unique supporting point), and a conclusion. Each paragraph should flow logically from one to the next, with clear transitions and evidence supporting your main thesis.

As you write your essay, be sure to use clear and concise language, avoiding unnecessary jargon or complex sentences. Remember to support your arguments with evidence and examples, and be sure to cite any sources that you use to back up your points.

Finally, once you have completed your essay, take the time to revise and edit your work. Check for spelling and grammatical errors, as well as overall organization and clarity. It can also be helpful to have a peer or mentor review your essay to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.

By following these steps and using this ultimate guide, you can craft a strong and effective 5 paragraph essay that will showcase your writing skills and clearly communicate your ideas to your audience.

Understanding the Essay Structure

Before you start writing your 5 paragraph essay, it’s essential to understand the basic structure that it follows. The essay is typically divided into five paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose to make your argument or narrative clear and compelling.

The first paragraph is the introduction, where you introduce your topic and present your thesis statement. This sets the stage for the entire essay and should grab the reader’s attention.

The next three paragraphs make up the body of the essay, where you present your main points or arguments. Each paragraph should focus on a single point with supporting evidence or examples to back it up.

The final paragraph is the conclusion, where you summarize your main points and restate your thesis. This is your last chance to leave a lasting impression on the reader and drive home your argument.

Understanding this structure will help you stay organized and focused as you write your 5 paragraph essay, ensuring that your message comes across clearly and effectively.

Choosing a Compelling Topic

One of the most important aspects of writing a 5 paragraph essay is selecting a compelling topic. Your topic should be interesting, relevant, and engaging to both you as the writer and your audience. When choosing a topic, consider your own interests and passions, as well as current events and issues that are of importance. A good topic will grab the reader’s attention and make them want to read more.

Gathering Solid Evidence and Examples

When writing a 5 paragraph essay, it’s essential to support your arguments and claims with solid evidence and examples. This not only strengthens your thesis but also demonstrates a deep understanding of the topic. Here are some tips to gather reliable evidence:

1. Conduct thorough research: Start by researching your topic using reputable sources such as academic journals, books, and scholarly articles. Make sure to take notes and record relevant information that supports your argument.

2. Use real-life examples: Incorporating real-life examples can make your essay more engaging and relatable to the reader. Look for case studies, historical events, or personal experiences to illustrate your points.

3. Quote experts: If possible, include quotes from experts in the field to add credibility to your arguments. Be sure to cite your sources accurately to avoid plagiarism.

4. Statistical data: Numbers and statistics can also strengthen your essay by providing concrete evidence to support your claims. Use data from reliable sources to back up your arguments.

By gathering solid evidence and examples, you can make your 5 paragraph essay more persuasive and convincing to your audience.

Developing a Strong Thesis Statement

One of the most crucial elements of a well-written 5 paragraph essay is a strong thesis statement. Your thesis statement serves as the main idea or argument that you will be addressing in the essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific, providing a roadmap for the reader to understand what your essay will be about.

To develop a strong thesis statement:

• Identify the topic: Start by clearly identifying what your essay will be about. What is the main subject or issue that you will be discussing?
• Formulate your argument: Once you have identified the topic, think about your stance or perspective on the issue. What is the main point you want to make?
• Make it specific: Avoid vague or general statements. Your thesis should be specific and clearly define the scope of your essay.
• Include a roadmap: Give a preview of the main points or arguments that will support your thesis statement throughout the essay.

Remember, your thesis statement will guide your writing and help keep your essay focused and organized. Take the time to craft a strong thesis statement before diving into writing the rest of your essay.

Writing Informative Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs in a 5 paragraph essay play a crucial role in supporting the thesis statement and providing detailed information related to the topic. Each body paragraph should focus on a single point and provide evidence or examples to support that point.

When writing informative body paragraphs, it’s important to follow a clear structure. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. Then, provide supporting details or evidence to explain and elaborate on that main idea. Finally, conclude the paragraph by tying the information back to the thesis statement.

• Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph.
• Provide supporting details or evidence to support the main idea.
• Conclude the paragraph by connecting the information back to the thesis statement.

Remember to use transition words and phrases to connect your ideas and create a smooth flow between paragraphs. This will help readers follow your argument and understand the connections between different points in your essay.

Concluding with Impact and Style

As you reach the conclusion of your 5 paragraph essay, it’s important to leave a lasting impression on your readers. The conclusion should summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement in a clear and concise manner. You can also offer some final thoughts or reflections on the topic you’ve discussed.

One strategy for a powerful conclusion is to end with a thought-provoking statement or a call to action that encourages your readers to think more deeply about the subject. This can leave a lasting impact and prompt further discussion or research on the topic.

Remember to avoid introducing new information in your conclusion. It should serve to wrap up your essay and leave your readers with a sense of closure.

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The Ultimate Guide to the 5-Paragraph Essay

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• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

A five-paragraph essay is a prose composition that follows a prescribed format of an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph, and is typically taught during primary English education and applied on standardized testing throughout schooling.

Learning to write a high-quality five-paragraph essay is an essential skill for students in early English classes as it allows them to express certain ideas, claims, or concepts in an organized manner, complete with evidence that supports each of these notions. Later, though, students may decide to stray from the standard five-paragraph format and venture into writing an  exploratory essay  instead.

Still, teaching students to organize essays into the five-paragraph format is an easy way to introduce them to writing literary criticism, which will be tested time and again throughout their primary, secondary, and further education.

Writing a Good Introduction

The introduction is the first paragraph in your essay, and it should accomplish a few specific goals: capture the reader's interest, introduce the topic, and make a claim or express an opinion in a thesis statement.

It's a good idea to start your essay with a hook (fascinating statement) to pique the reader's interest, though this can also be accomplished by using descriptive words, an anecdote, an intriguing question, or an interesting fact. Students can practice with creative writing prompts to get some ideas for interesting ways to start an essay.

The next few sentences should explain your first statement, and prepare the reader for your thesis statement, which is typically the last sentence in the introduction. Your  thesis sentence  should provide your specific assertion and convey a clear point of view, which is typically divided into three distinct arguments that support this assertation, which will each serve as central themes for the body paragraphs.

Writing Body Paragraphs

The body of the essay will include three body paragraphs in a five-paragraph essay format, each limited to one main idea that supports your thesis.

To correctly write each of these three body paragraphs, you should state your supporting idea, your topic sentence, then back it up with two or three sentences of evidence. Use examples that validate the claim before concluding the paragraph and using transition words to lead to the paragraph that follows — meaning that all of your body paragraphs should follow the pattern of "statement, supporting ideas, transition statement."

Words to use as you transition from one paragraph to another include: moreover, in fact, on the whole, furthermore, as a result, simply put, for this reason, similarly, likewise, it follows that, naturally, by comparison, surely, and yet.

Writing a Conclusion

The final paragraph will summarize your main points and re-assert your main claim (from your thesis sentence). It should point out your main points, but should not repeat specific examples, and should, as always, leave a lasting impression on the reader.

The first sentence of the conclusion, therefore, should be used to restate the supporting claims argued in the body paragraphs as they relate to the thesis statement, then the next few sentences should be used to explain how the essay's main points can lead outward, perhaps to further thought on the topic. Ending the conclusion with a question, anecdote, or final pondering is a great way to leave a lasting impact.

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, and 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, and adjust the conclusion to wrap it all up nicely.

Practice Writing a Five-Paragraph Essay

Students can use the following steps to write a standard essay on any given topic. First, choose a topic, or ask your students to choose their topic, then allow them to form a basic five-paragraph by following these steps:

• Decide on your  basic thesis , your idea of a topic to discuss.
• Decide on three pieces of supporting evidence you will use to prove your thesis.
• Write an introductory paragraph, including your thesis and evidence (in order of strength).
• Write your first body paragraph, starting with restating your thesis and focusing on your first piece of supporting evidence.
• End your first paragraph with a transitional sentence that leads to the next body paragraph.
• Write paragraph two of the body focussing on your second piece of evidence. Once again make the connection between your thesis and this piece of evidence.
• End your second paragraph with a transitional sentence that leads to paragraph number three.
• Repeat step 6 using your third piece of evidence.
• Begin your concluding paragraph by restating your thesis. Include the three points you've used to prove your thesis.
• End with a punch, a question, an anecdote, or an entertaining thought that will stay with the reader.

Once a student can master these 10 simple steps, writing a basic five-paragraph essay will be a piece of cake, so long as the student does so correctly and includes enough supporting information in each paragraph that all relate to the same centralized main idea, the thesis of the essay.

Limitations of the Five-Paragraph Essay

The five-paragraph essay is merely a starting point for students hoping to express their ideas in academic writing; there are some other forms and styles of writing that students should use to express their vocabulary in the written form.

According to Tory Young's "Studying English Literature: A Practical Guide":

"Although school students in the U.S. are examined on their ability to write a  five-paragraph essay , its  raison d'être  is purportedly to give practice in basic writing skills that will lead to future success in more varied forms. Detractors feel, however, that writing to rule in this way is more likely to discourage imaginative writing and thinking than enable it. . . . The five-paragraph essay is less aware of its  audience  and sets out only to present information, an account or a kind of story rather than explicitly to persuade the reader."

Students should instead be asked to write other forms, such as journal entries, blog posts, reviews of goods or services, multi-paragraph research papers, and freeform expository writing around a central theme. Although five-paragraph essays are the golden rule when writing for standardized tests, experimentation with expression should be encouraged throughout primary schooling to bolster students' abilities to utilize the English language fully.

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Guide on How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay Effortlessly

What is a 5-paragraph Essay

5-paragraph essay is a common format used in academic writing, especially in schools and standardized tests. This type of essay is structured into five distinct sections: an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction serves to present the main topic and ends with a thesis statement, which outlines the primary argument or points that will be discussed. This format is favored because it provides a clear and organized way to present information and arguments.

The three body paragraphs each focus on a single point that supports the thesis statement. Each paragraph begins with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph, followed by supporting details, examples, and evidence. This structured approach helps the writer stay on topic and provides the reader with a clear understanding of the arguments being made. The consistency in structure also aids in the logical flow of the essay, making it easier for the reader to follow and comprehend the writer's points.

The conclusion, the final paragraph, summarizes the main points discussed in the essay and restates the thesis in a new way. It provides closure to the discussion and reinforces the essay's main argument. The 5-paragraph essay format is an effective tool for teaching students how to organize their thoughts and present them clearly and logically. It is a foundational skill that serves as a building block for more complex writing tasks in the future.

Guide on How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay

Writing a 5-paragraph essay becomes manageable if you follow these simple and effective tips below from our admission essay writing service :

1. Plan Before You Write: Before you start writing, create an outline to organize your thoughts and ensure a logical flow of ideas. This will help you stay on track and cover all your points. Draft an outline with headings for the introduction, each body paragraph, and the conclusion. Under each heading, jot down the main points and supporting details.

2. Focus on Main Points : Stick to your main arguments and avoid adding unnecessary information. This keeps your essay clear and easy to understand. If your thesis is about the benefits of exercise, each body paragraph should discuss a specific benefit, such as improved health, increased energy, or better mood.

3. Maintain a Smooth Flow : Use transition words to link your paragraphs and ideas. This helps the reader follow your argument seamlessly.

Examples : "Furthermore," "In addition," "Moreover," "On the other hand," "In conclusion."

Example Sentence : "In addition to improving physical health, exercise also enhances mental well-being."

4. Provide Strong Evidence: Use facts, examples, and quotes to back up your arguments. This makes your essay more convincing and credible.

Example : "According to a study by the World Health Organization, regular physical activity can reduce the risk of chronic diseases by up to 30%."

5. Vary Your Sentence Structure : Mix short and long sentences to keep your writing engaging. This helps maintain the reader's interest and makes your essay more dynamic.

6. Proofread and Revise : Review your essay for grammar mistakes, spelling errors, and unclear sentences. Make necessary revisions to improve clarity and coherence. : After writing your essay, take a break and then read it again. This helps you spot mistakes you might have missed initially.

7. Stay Focused on Your Thesis: Ensure that all your paragraphs support your thesis statement. If your thesis is about the importance of education, every paragraph should relate to how education impacts individuals and society.

8. Manage Your Time: Allocate specific times for planning, writing, and revising your essay. This helps you stay organized and avoid last-minute stress. For example, spend 10 minutes outlining, 30 minutes writing, and 10 minutes proofreading for a 50-minute essay task.

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5 Paragraph Essay Format

The five-paragraph essay format is designed to provide a clear and straightforward structure for presenting ideas and arguments. This format is broken down into an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion, each serving a specific purpose in the essay.

Types of 5 Paragraph Essay 

There are several types of five-paragraph essays, each with a slightly different focus or purpose. Here are some of the most common types of five-paragraph essays:

• Narrative essay : A narrative essay tells a story or recounts a personal experience. It typically includes a clear introductory paragraph, body sections that provide details about the story, and a conclusion that wraps up the narrative.
• Descriptive essay: A descriptive essay uses sensory language to describe a person, place, or thing. It often includes a clear thesis statement that identifies the subject of the description and body paragraphs that provide specific details to support the thesis.
• Expository essay: An expository essay offers details or clarifies a subject. It usually starts with a concise introduction that introduces the subject, is followed by body paragraphs that provide evidence and examples to back up the thesis, and ends with a summary of the key points.
• Persuasive essay: A persuasive essay argues for a particular viewpoint or position. It has a thesis statement that is clear, body paragraphs that give evidence and arguments in favor of it, and a conclusion that summarizes the important ideas and restates the thesis.
• Compare and contrast essay: An essay that compares and contrasts two or more subjects and looks at their similarities and differences. It usually starts out simply by introducing the topics being contrasted or compared, followed by body paragraphs that go into more depth on the similarities and differences, and a concluding paragraph that restates the important points.

Don’t forget, you can save time and reduce the stress of academic assignments by using our research paper writing services to help you.

5 Paragraph Essay Example Topics

Choosing a specific and interesting topic can make your essay stand out. Here are 20 more engaging essay topics that provide a good starting point for your 5-paragraph paper:

• Why Is Recycling Important for Our Planet?
• The Day I Met My Best Friend
• How Does Playing Sports Benefit Children?
• What Are the Challenges of Being a Teenager Today?
• A Time I Made a Difficult Decision
• My Most Embarrassing Moment
• How Can We Encourage People to Read More?
• How I Spent My Last Summer Vacation
• The Best Gift I Ever Received
• What Makes a Good Friend?
• My Experience Learning a New Skill
• How Do Video Games Affect Our Brains?
• Why Is It Important to Learn About Different Cultures?
• The Day I Got My First Pet
• How Can Schools Better Prepare Students for the Future?
• An Adventure I Will Never Forget
• A Time I Helped Someone in Need
• What Are the Pros and Cons of Remote Work?
• The Most Interesting Person I Have Met
• How Does Peer Pressure Affect Our Decisions?

General Grading Rubric for a 5 Paragraph Essay

The following is a general grading rubric that can be used to evaluate a five-paragraph essay:

Based on the points discussed, your paper needs to show a good grasp of the topic, clear structure, strong writing skills, and critical thinking. Teachers use this rubric to assess essays comprehensively and give feedback on what you do well and where you can improve. If you want to simplify meeting your professors' expectations, you can buy an essay from our experts and see how it can ease your academic life!

Five Paragraph Essay Examples

Final thoughts.

Writing a five-paragraph essay might seem challenging at first, but it doesn't have to be difficult. By following these simple steps and tips, you can break down the process into manageable parts and create a clear, concise, and well-organized essay.

Start with a strong thesis statement, use topic sentences to guide your paragraphs, and provide evidence and analysis to support your ideas. Remember to revise and proofread your work to ensure it is error-free and coherent. With time and practice, you'll be able to write a five-paragraph essay with ease and confidence. Whether you're writing for school, work, or personal projects, these skills will help you communicate your ideas effectively!

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Is a 5 Paragraph Essay 500 Words?

How long is a five-paragraph essay, how do you write a 5 paragraph essay.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

• Updated definition, writing tips and format
• Added FAQs and topics
• Secrets of the Five-Paragraph Essay | UMGC Effective Writing Center . (n.d.). University of Maryland Global Campus. https://www.umgc.edu/current-students/learning-resources/writing-center/writing-resources/writing/secrets-five-paragraph-essay#:~:text=The%20five%2Dparagraph%20essay%20consists  
• Outline for a Five-Paragraph Essay . (n.d.). https://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/FiveParagraphEssayOutlineJuly08_000.pdf  

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This form of writing goes by different names. Maybe you've heard some of them before: "The Basic Essay," "The Academic Response Essay," "The 1-3-1 Essay." Regardless of what you've heard, the name you should remember is "The Easy Essay."

Once you are shown how this works--and it only takes a few minutes--you will have in your hands the secret to writing well on almost any academic assignment. Here is how it goes.

Secret #1—The Magic of Three

Three has always been a magic number for humans, from fairy tales like "The Three Little Pigs" to sayings like “third time’s a charm.” Three seems to be an ideal number for us--including the academic essay. So whenever you are given a topic to write about, a good place to begin is with a list of three. Here are some examples (three of them, of course):

Topic : What are the essential characteristics of a good parent? Think in threes and you might come up with:

• unconditional love 

Certainly, there are more characteristics of good parents you could name, but for our essay, we will work in threes.

Here's a topic that deals with a controversial issue:

Topic : Should women in the military be given frontline combat duties?

• The first reason that women should be assigned to combat is equality. 
• The second reason is their great teamwork. 
• The third reason is their courage.

As you see, regardless of the topic, we can list three points about it. And if you wonder about the repetition of words and structure when stating the three points, in this case, repetition is a good thing. Words that seem redundant when close together in an outline will be separated by the actual paragraphs of your essay. So in the essay instead of seeming redundant they will be welcome as signals to the reader of your essay’s main parts.

Finally, when the topic is an academic one, your first goal is the same: create a list of three.

Topic: Why do so many students fail to complete their college degree?

• First, students often...
• Second, many students cannot...
• Finally, students find that...

Regardless of the reasons you might come up with to finish these sentences, the formula is still the same.

Secret #2: The Thesis Formula

Now with your list of three, you can write the sentence that every essay must have—the thesis, sometimes called the "controlling idea," "overall point," or "position statement." In other words, it is the main idea of the essay that you will try to support, illustrate, or corroborate.

Here’s a simple formula for a thesis: The topic + your position on the topic = your thesis.

Let’s apply this formula to one of our examples:

Topic: Essential characteristics of a good parent Your Position: patience, respect, love Thesis: The essential characteristics of a good parent are patience, respect, and love.

As you see, all we did was combine the topic with our position/opinion on it into a single sentence to produce the thesis: The essential characteristics of a good parent are patience, respect, and love.

In this case, we chose to list three main points as part of our thesis. Sometimes that’s a good strategy. However, you can summarize them if you wish, as in this example:

Topic: Women in combat duty in the military Your Position: They deserve it Thesis: Women deserve to be assigned combat duty in the military.

This type of thesis is shorter and easier to write because it provides the overall position or opinion without forcing you to list the support for it in the thesis, which can get awkward and take away from your strong position statement. The three reasons women deserve to be assigned combat duties--equality, teamwork, courage--will be the subjects of your three body paragraphs and do not need to be mentioned until the body paragraph in which they appear.

Secret #3: The 1-3-1 Outline

With your thesis and list of three main points, you can quickly draw a basic outline of the paragraphs of your essay. You’ll then see why this is often called the 1-3-1 essay.

• Supporting Evidence for Claim 1    
• Supporting Evidence for Claim 2
• Supporting Evidence for Claim 3

The five-paragraph essay consists of one introduction paragraph (with the thesis at its end), three body paragraphs (each beginning with one of three main points) and one last paragraph—the conclusion. 1-3-1.

Once you have this outline, you have the basic template for most academic writing. Most of all, you have an organized way to approach virtually any topic you are assigned.

Our helpful admissions advisors can help you choose an academic program to fit your career goals, estimate your transfer credits, and develop a plan for your education costs that fits your budget. If you’re a current UMGC student, please visit the Help Center .

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Essay Writing Guide

Five Paragraph Essay

A Guide to Writing a Five-Paragraph Essay

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How To Write A Strong Body Paragraph

The five-paragraph essay is a fundamental writing technique, sometimes called "The Basic Essay," "The Academic Response Essay," or the "1-3-1 Essay." 

No matter what you call it, understanding this format is key to organizing your thoughts clearly and effectively. Once you learn the structure, writing essays for any academic subject becomes much easier. 

In this guide, we'll walk you through each part of the five-paragraph essay, showing you how to create strong introductions, develop your ideas in body paragraphs, and conclude with impact. With these tips, you'll be ready to tackle any writing assignment with confidence. 

So let’s get started!

• 1. What is a 5 Paragraph Essay? 
• 2. Steps to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay
• 3. 5 Paragraph Essay Examples
• 4. 5 Paragraph Essay Topics

What is a 5 Paragraph Essay? 

A five-paragraph essay is a structured format of essay writing that consists of one introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and one concluding paragraph. It is also known by several other names, including Classic Essay, Three-Tier Essay, Hamburger Essay, and One-Three-One Essay. 

This type of essay format is commonly taught in middle and high school and is mainly used for assignments and quick writing exercises. The five-paragraph essay is designed to help writers organize their thoughts clearly and logically, making it easier for readers to follow the argument or narrative.

The structure is popular because it works for almost all types of essays . Whether you're writing a compare and contrast or argumentative essay , this format helps you organize your thoughts clearly. It's best for topics that can be explained well in just five paragraphs.

Steps to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay

Writing a five-paragraph essay involves clear and structured steps to effectively communicate your ideas. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Understand the Assignment 

Knowing your topic before you start writing is really important. The first thing you need to do is figure out what your essay is supposed to be about. This is usually called the thesis statement or main idea. 

If your teacher didn’t give you a specific topic, you should pick something that you can talk about enough to fill five paragraphs.

Here are some tips to help you understand your topic:

• Think about what interests you or something you already know a bit about. It’s easier to write when you care about the topic.
• Read through the assignment carefully to see if there are any specific instructions or questions you need to answer.
• If you’re not sure about your topic, try talking it over with someone else—a friend, family member, or even your teacher—to get some ideas. You can also find some good essay ideas by checking out our essay topics blog. 

Once you’ve picked a topic, take a moment to write down what you already know about it. This can help you see if you need to do more research or if you have enough to start writing. Understanding your topic well from the start makes the writing process much smoother. 

Step 2: Outline Your Essay

Creating an outline is like making a plan for your essay before you start writing. An essay outline helps you organize your ideas and decide what you want to say in each part of your essay. 

Your outline acts as a guide that reveals any gaps or the need for rearranging ideas. It functions like a roadmap that guides you through writing your essay, so it should be easy for you to understand and follow.

To create a good outline think about the most important things you want to say about your topic. These will be your main ideas for each body paragraph . 

Here’s a simple 5-paragraph essay outline template:

Step 3: Write the Introduction

Writing the essay introduction is like inviting someone into your essay—it sets the tone and tells them what to expect. Here’s how to craft a strong introduction:

• First, start with a hook . This could be something surprising or interesting, like a shocking fact or a thought-provoking question. It’s meant to grab your reader's attention right away, making them curious about what you’re going to say next.
• Next, provide some background information about your topic. This helps your reader understand the context of your essay. Think of it like setting the stage before a play—you want to give enough information so that your audience knows what’s going on.
• Finally, write your thesis statement . This is the main point of your essay summed up in one clear sentence. It tells your reader what you’re going to argue or explain throughout the rest of your essay.

For Example:

Step 4: Develop Body Paragraphs

Developing body paragraphs is like building the main part of your essay—it’s where you explain your ideas in detail. Here’s how to do it effectively:

First, each body paragraph should have one main idea that supports your thesis. This main idea is introduced in the topic sentence , which is like a mini-thesis for that paragraph. It tells your reader what the paragraph is going to be about.

After you introduce your main idea, you need to support it with evidence. These could be examples, facts, or explanations that help prove your point. Imagine you’re explaining your idea to a friend—you’d give reasons and examples to make them understand and believe what you’re saying.

Step 5: Transition Between Paragraphs

Smooth transitions between paragraphs are like bridges that connect one idea to the next in your essay. They help your reader follow your thoughts easily and see how each point relates to the overall argument.

To use transitions effectively, think about how each paragraph connects to the next. If you're moving from talking about one idea to another that contrasts or supports it, use transition words like "however," "similarly," or "on the other hand." These words signal to your reader that you're shifting to a new point while still maintaining the flow of your argument.

Step 6: Write the Conclusion

Writing an essay conclusion is like wrapping up a conversation. You want to remind the reader of what you've discussed and leave them with something to think about. Here’s how to do it:

• Start by summarizing the main points of your essay. Go over the key ideas from each of your body paragraphs. This reminds the reader of what you’ve covered without going into too much detail again.
• Next, restate your thesis in different words. This helps reinforce your main argument and shows that you’ve supported it throughout your essay. 
• Finally, end with a final thought or recommendation . This could be a call to action, a suggestion, or a thought-provoking statement that leaves the reader thinking about your topic.

For Example :

Step 7: Revise and Edit

Revising and editing your essay is like giving it a final polish to make sure everything is clear and correct. Here are some tips for revising and editing:

• Take a Break: After writing your essay, take a short break before you start revising. This helps you see your work with fresh eyes.
• Read Aloud: Reading your essay out loud can help you catch errors and awkward sentences.
• Ask for Feedback: Sometimes, another person can spot mistakes you’ve overlooked. Ask a friend or family member to read your essay and give feedback.
• Be Patient: Don’t rush the revision process. Take your time to ensure your essay is the best it can be.

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5 Paragraph Essay Examples

Here is some free 5-paragraph essay example pdfs for you to download and get an idea of the format of this type of essay.

5 Paragraph Essay Benefits of Exercise

5 Paragraph Essay on Technology

5 Paragraph Essay on What Makes A Good Friend

5 Paragraph Essay on Cell Phones in School

5 Paragraph Essay on Climate Change

5 Paragraph Essay about Sports

5 Paragraph Essay about Cats

5 Paragraph Essay about Love

5 Paragraph Essay Topics

Here are some common and trending topics for 5-paragraph essays:

• Discuss needed changes to improve the education system.
• Analyze the effects of globalization on society.
• Explore ways to promote sustainable practices.
• Address issues of healthcare equity.
• Examine progress and challenges in gender equality.
• Discuss the impact of immigration policies.
• Explore needed changes in the criminal justice system.
• Analyze ethical dilemmas in science and medicine.
• Discuss the effects of global pandemics.
• Explore the importance of diversity and inclusion.

So, learning the five-paragraph essay isn't just about school, it's about building strong communication skills that will serve you well in any writing task. By following this structured approach—you'll be writing with confidence in no time.

Now that you've got the basics down, don't hesitate to put them into practice. Whether you're tackling assignments for school or exploring new topics on your own, these skills will help you organize your thoughts.

And if you ever need a helping hand, visit our website and request " write my essay ." Our expert writers are ready to assist with any type of assignment, from college essays to research papers. Don't wait—take your writing to the next level today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a five-paragraph essay.

A five-paragraph essay typically ranges from 500 to 1000 words in total length. The essay word count may vary based on the specific requirements provided by the assignment or academic standards set by the instructor.

Is a 5 paragraph essay 500 words?

Not necessarily. The word count of a five-paragraph essay can vary widely depending on the topic, level of detail in each paragraph, and specific instructions provided by the teacher or professor. While some five-paragraph essays might be around 500 words, others could be shorter or longer.

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.

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Keep reading

How to Write a 5-Paragraph Essay [+Bonus Template]

Writing an essay, choose a credible structure used by thousands of students around the world. This format is called 5-paragraph essay, and has a couple of simple rules to follow.

🎂 How is an essay like a cake?

🗼 the 3 pillars of a consistent 5-paragraph essay, 🍰 feature of the cake layers, 📑 create a refined essay with our writing hacks, 🕔 draft an astonishing essay with a 5-minute outline, 📝 write a killer paper using our 5-paragraph essay example as a guideline, 🅰 getting an a+ grade for 5 paragraphs writing is easy.

The best part about this type of outline is that it fits any topic. Whether you’re creating a paper on technology, friendship, or global warming, you can use this structure and get a fantastic logical essay with statements, details, and conclusions.

In this article, you’ll know all you need to turn your ideas into an excellent piece of academic writing.

Can’t wait?

So, let’s start!

Did you know that you can effectively unleash your creative capacity and astonish everyone with your talent by creating just 5 paragraphs? Writing a 5-paragraph essay can be easier and faster than baking a 5-layer cake if you know the secret ingredient. Keep reading to get to the essence of 5-PE mastery.

You may be wondering: “What does this kind of essay have in common with a 5-layer cake?”

In fact, both are well-structured. All their components are coherent and interrelated.

• They start with a solid background (in the essay, an introduction = in the cake, a firm biscuit base).
• They contain 3 middle layers (3 body paragraphs = 3 cheesecake layers).
• They finish with a summary that wraps it all up (conclusion = berry jelly with fruits).

The 5-paragraph essay writing method helps inexperienced writers to state their ideas within the given topic in the most clear and logical way. Once you understand and get used to this writing formula, you’ll become more comfortable with it. The basic elements of a 5-paragraph essay are 3 pillars you will come to lean on.

So you’ve got a five-paragraph essay assignment.

What does 5 mean here? Why not 2 or 7?

In fact, it consists of 5 paragraphs, made up of 3 main parts:

• Introduction

Here are the key insights to each component of a correctly structured essay:

Our “cake study comparison” reveals the following distinctive features of the cake layers:

• Introduction: the solid biscuit base of the cheesecake sets the overall style of your culinary masterpiece. Its sweet and melting taste makes it the most promising part for the end-consumer.
• Main body: 3 magnificent cheesecake layers, each one different in taste and color, each complementing the creamy flavor of the basic cheesecake part of the cake.
• Conclusion: a berry jelly with fruits to conclude. Its sour-sweet taste complements the main body and contrasts with the cheesecake, contributing to the inimitable aftertaste.

As for the 5-paragraph essay conclusion, its “aftertaste” is exactly what will stay with your readers after they put down your paper. So carefully consider the structure of your essay to make sure all its parts are coherent and balanced. Take a look at some essay examples to have a better idea of how it can look like.

Now you know about structure, which is the secret ingredient that makes your essay convincing and your cake delicious.

Whatever project you have to complete ‒ creating a 5-paragraph essay or a 5-layer cake ‒ the perfectionist in you may not feel fully satisfied until your masterpiece is flawless. Harness these useful tips if you need to create an engaging essay that your readers will enjoy reading and talking about.

• To make an effective start, you first need to get organized.
• Analyze your task in detail.
• Determine your purpose.
• Think about your step-by-step plan.
• Don’t get lost in the detail. Before you set out with the actual writing, map it out . Otherwise, you may get lost.
• Divide your future essay into sections; develop each piece separately and incrementally.
• First figure out how to make an outstanding outline, and then you can go ahead and start your essay-building process.
• Develop your unique writing style and stick to it.
• Start strong by grabbing the reader’s attention . Aim to keep it until you reach your final point. Stay powerful and convincing.
• Use active voice instead of passive whenever possible.
• Don’t let your reader fall asleep: play with your English, vary sentence structures, avoid repetition, sharpen and diversify your vocabulary when you revise the text.
• Brainstorm to search for the best ideas that support your case. Include only the arguments that are effective and that you have some knowledge of, otherwise you won’t do a good job of presenting them.
• Writing introductory paragraphs on different topics can be very helpful. It will help set the tone for the paragraph, making it easier to write the supporting sentences. Moreover, seeing your pattern progress is always inspiring!
• Supporting ideas, examples and other details should all be relevant to the subtopic. It will help you and the readers to stay focused.
• There are some other specific rules that you can use as a guide to creating an outstanding 5-paragraph essay.
• Don’t use abbreviations and contractions.
• Avoid casual language (it’s better not to begin sentences with “sure”, “well”, “yes” or “no”).
• Don’t use slang (there’s a big difference between academic writing and a message to your friend).
• Try not to begin your sentences with “There is/are”. For example, instead of “There is a need to edit the essay”, write “Essay editing is essential”.
• Don’t begin sentences with conjunctions (“and”, “but”, “for”, “yet”, “so”, “or”, “nor”).
• Avoid using phrases like “a lot”, “lots” and “lots of”. Think about replacing them with “many”, “most”, “much” or “often”.
• Avoid using exclamation points; stay more or less neutral in your writing.
• Forget about your writing! Get some rest… and then read it again with fresh eyes. Polish and refine your essay as many times as you need to ‒ you won’t be sorry for spending time on it. Ask someone knowledgeable to review and criticize your essay as well – they may make suggestions that surprise you.
• Check your writing for spelling and grammar mistakes.
• Make sure your ideas flow logically.
• Avoid too much detail or wordiness.
• Be concise, specific and brief, but do give details and examples.

Also, make sure to check out free handout about essay writing.

Humans crave order. Anything else can lead them astray. A 5-paragraph essay outline is essential for those who want to create their short essay in the most effective and timely way. An essay outline will streamline your writing; it will also make you focus on the main topic and on the subtopics exposed in each separate part of the paper.

Have a look at our 5-paragraph essay writing outline for “How to Make Lemonade When Life Gives You Lemons”, and use it as an essay sample whenever you need inspiration for the framework of your own essay. It will take you just 5 minutes, and it will considerably save time when it comes to your own essay writing.

How to Make Lemonade When Life Gives You Lemons

You will soon discover that it’s not that difficult to learn how to write a 5-paragraph essay that will hit the spot and win you the highest grade. Our tips for writing a good essay can help you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively.

Think about all the possible 5-paragraph essay topics and select the one that’s best for you – that’s the one that will make five-paragraph essay writing interesting for you!

Good luck with your writing!

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Breathtakingly amazing article!

Thank you for your feedback! We greatly appreciate it!

Thank you so much. It’ s really great and amusing explanation of how to write an essay.

You’re welcome, Doha! Glad you enjoyed the article.

Your essay writing system is very good.

Thank you so much!

Actually I have difficulties in the introduction of each type of essay, for example, the expository essay “developed by examples or developed by definition”. I need more explanations about each type, please.

Thanks for the feedback, Rawya! We will take into account your suggestion for our next post on essays.

Good tips! I think it can be useful for my writing.

Thanks for the feedback, Sophy!

You’ve got it in one. Couldn’t have put it better.

Glad you liked, Cherilynn!

I’m so grateful to have found this nugget because my students are struggling with essay writing. Thanks.

Thanks for your feedback, Justina! Glad you found my guide helpful 🙂

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How to Write a Five Paragraph Essay

Last Updated: April 4, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 526,805 times.

Five paragraph essays are a common assignment throughout your school career, especially in high school and college. Since any subject can include a five paragraph essay, you’ll want to be good at writing them. Luckily, five-paragraph essays are really easy to write if you know the expected format and give yourself the time you need to write it. To write your five paragraph essay, draft your introduction, develop three body paragraphs, write your conclusion, and revise and edit your essay.

Drafting Your Introduction

• For example, you could phrase your hook like this: Nature’s life cycle is often used as a metaphor to convey ideas about the passage of life.
• If you are writing a persuasive essay, don’t include your stance in your hook.
• Don’t say “In this essay” or “I am going to show.” Instead, use the “show, don’t tell” technique using descriptive language.
• It’s often easiest to come up with your hook after you write the rest of your essay. If you’re struggling to come up with one, use a basic placeholder and then create a better hook when you revise your essay.

• Don’t reveal your main points yet.
• For example, you could say something like this: While spring compares with birth, summer can symbolize maturity, with fall and winter showing a descent toward death.

• This sentence depends on what type of paper you’re writing. If it’s an argumentative paper, introduce both sides of the argument. In an informative paper, mention the central idea and focus.
• As an example, you could narrow your topic like this: Writers often use nature metaphors in their work to show themes about life, such as the blossoming of youth.

• For example, your thesis could read like this: In the poem “Raspberries,” the author shows youth through the ripening berries, summer blossoming, and blushing color of the fruit.
• Each of the three examples provided in the thesis will become the topic of a body paragraph. For the example thesis, you would have body paragraphs about ripening berries, summer blossoming, and the blushing color of the fruit.

Developing Three Body Paragraphs

• You should include three body paragraphs, one for each supporting point.

• Your topic sentence is like a mini-thesis for just that paragraph.
• Use a quote related to your thesis and analyze it in the body paragraph. If you use a topic sentence, put the quote next.
• For example, your topic sentence could look like this: Ripening berries show youth in the poem “Raspberries” by reaching maturity and becoming ready for picking.

• Each paragraph should contain two to three examples or pieces of evidence.
• If you use research, cite your sources in the appropriate format that your instructor specifies.

• Include two to three sentences of commentary for each example or piece of evidence.
• Depending on the type of evidence or examples, it’s often best to alternate your evidence and commentary throughout the paragraph. For example, provide one example, then provide the commentary.

• For example, you could wrap up your paragraph like this: As the girl plucks the ripe raspberries from the bush and eats them, her actions represent her own youth and readiness to be “plucked” by someone.

Drafting Your Conclusion

• For example, you could restate your thesis like this: The poem “Raspberries” provides an allegorical representation of youth through a metaphor of ripening berries, summer blossoming, and blushing color of the fruit.
• If you're a beginning writer, it's okay to start your conclusion with "In conclusion." However, if you're an advanced writer, avoid starting your conclusion with statements like “In conclusion,” “To conclude,” or “In the end.”

• Use an authoritative tone as you restate your arguments so that your reader walks away knowing that you are correct.

• Include a call to action.
• Provide a warning about what could happen if your stance is ignored.
• Create an image in the reader’s mind.
• Include a quote.
• Make a universal statement about life.

Revising and Editing Your Essay

• Always reread your sentence to make sure that the word processor is suggesting the right word. If you’ve misspelled a word that is similar to another word, then it’s possible that your spell check could suggest the wrong spelling, such as “then” instead of “than.”

• Look for errors that your spell checker missed.
• If you can, ask someone else to proofread your paper. They will usually spot errors that you overlooked.

• Combine choppy sentences.
• Breakup long, convoluted sentences into shorter sentences.
• Rewrite fragments and run-on sentences.

• If you have cited sources, make sure that you include a reference page in the style chosen by your instructor.

Expert Q&A

• Never plagiarize an essay, which means copying someone’s work or ideas without giving them credit. Your teacher will deny you credit for the essay, and you may also get a discipline consequence. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/five-paragraph-essay/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/college-writing/
• ↑ https://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/FiveParagraphEssayOutlineJuly08_000.pdf
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789530/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/proofreading_suggestions.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/steps_for_revising.html

About This Article

To write a five paragraph essay, start with an introductory paragraph that includes a hook to capture your audience’s attention, and a thesis that explains the main point you’re trying to make. Then, use the next 3 paragraphs to explain 3 separate points that support your thesis. As you explain each point, use evidence from your research or examples in the text you’re discussing. Finally, conclude your essay with a paragraph summing up the points you’ve made and telling the reader how those points support your thesis. For tips on how to revise your essay to improve the flow and formatting, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to write a perfect 5 Paragraph Essay

  How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay : A Complete Guide

Essay writing can be the bane of many a student’s life.

Gone are the days when many students tried writing in big letters to fill the allotted number of pages with minimal effort quickly.

Now, it’s all constant word count checks and taking a dozen words to say what could be said in three.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be like this. When students have a clear, set structure to follow, essay writing can be a much less painful experience. Indeed, it can even be enjoyable!

In this article, we’ll outline a clear template our students can follow to produce a well-organised essay on practically any topic effectively.

Let’s get started!

THE HAMBURGER ESSAY – THE STUDENT’S FRIEND

The common 5 paragraph essay structure is often referred to as the hamburger essay . And this is a memorable way to communicate the concept to your students.

The hamburger essay structure consists of five paragraphs or layers as follows:

Layer 1 – The Top Bun: The Introduction

The uppermost layer is the introductory paragraph which communicates to the reader the purpose of the essay.

Layers 2,3, & 4 – The Meat Patties: The Body Paragraphs

These are the meat patties of the essay and each paragraph makes an argument in support of the essay’s central contention as expressed in the introduction.

Layer 5 – The Conclusion: The Bottom Bun

The bottommost layer is the conclusion, where the arguments are summed up and the central contention of the essay is restated forcefully one last time. We have a complete guide to writing a conclusion here .

Soon, we’ll take a closer look at each of these parts in turn. But, there is more to an essay than just the writing of it. There are also the prewriting and post writing stages to consider. We will look at all these aspects in this article, but first, let’s examine what our students need to be doing before they even begin to write their essays.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING PARAGRAPH WRITING

This complete PARAGRAPH WRITING UNIT takes students from zero to hero over FIVE STRATEGIC LESSONS to improve PARAGRAPH WRITING SKILLS through PROVEN TEACHING STRATEGIES.

THE PREWRITING STAGE – DEFINING THE THESIS STATEMENT, RESEARCH & PLANNING

The thesis statement.

Every essay needs a clear focus. This focus is usually defined in a thesis statement that presents the topic of the essay in a sentence or two. The thesis statement should also include the writer’s stance on that topic.

As this will help guide the direction of the essay, it is essential that our students define their thesis statement before they begin the writing process.

Sometimes during the process of writing, we find out what we think about a given topic. The writing process can act as a kind of reflection on the merits of the various arguments, before finally revealing to us our own opinion. This is writing as a method of discovery.

Usually, though, it is more efficient for students to decide on their opinions prior to beginning to write.

Defining their thesis statement early on not only helps guide the students writing, but helps ensure their research is focused and efficient at the crucial prewriting stage.

Research & Planning

As students begin their research and gather their evidence to support their thesis statement, they should also be encouraged to pay particular attention to the counterarguments they come across.

A well-written essay does not ignore opposing viewpoints, students should be taught to preempt counterarguments where possible so as to strengthen the power of their own arguments. Good research is essential for this.

Not so long ago, research meant hours in dusty libraries being constantly shushed, but with the advent of the internet, there is now a wealth of knowledge right at our fingertips (and the end of a good Wifi connection).

While this has made research a much more convenient process, students need to be reminded of the importance of seeking out reliable sources to support their opinions. In an era of ‘fake news’, this is more important now than ever.

As students gather the information and supporting evidence for their essay, they’ll need to organize it carefully. Graphic organizers are an effective way of doing this, either on a paper printout or by using a premade template on the computer.

It can also be helpful for students to sort their collected information according to where they intend to use it in the five-paragraph outline or layers mentioned above.

Finally, while good research, organization, and planning are essential for producing a well-written essay, it’s important that students are reminded that essay writing is also a creative act.

Students should maintain an open mind when it comes to the writing process. They should allow their thoughts and opinions the room to develop over the course of writing their essay. They should leave the door open for including new thoughts and ideas as the writing progresses.

The Writing Stage: Introduction, Body Paragraphs, & Conclusion 

The introduction.

A good introduction paragraph serves a number of important functions. It:

• Grabs the reader’s attention and interest, known as the hook
• Orientates the reader to the essays central argument, the thesis statement
• Outlines briefly the arguments that will be explored in support of the thesis statement.

To become an effective writer, it is important that our students learn the importance of grabbing the reader’s attention, as well as keeping it. Opening with a ‘hook’ or a ‘grabber’ is a great way to achieve this.

There are a number of techniques students can use here. Let’s take a look at some of the more common ones.

• The Surprising Fact – this can intrigue the reader to want to find out more, especially if it challenges some of their existing assumptions on a topic.
• The Quotation – a carefully selected quotation can be a great way to secure the reader’s attention and there are many curated quotation collections freely available online to help get students started.
• The Joke – this opening should be used judiciously as for some topics it may not be an appropriate way to open. In the right context however, humor can be a great way to engage the reader from the outset.
• The Anecdote – anecdotes are a great way to personally connect with the essay’s topic. They are a helpful way of climbing down the ladder of abstraction when exploring more theoretical arguments. They assist the reader in relating universal themes to their own lives.

Practice Activity 1:

To encourage students to develop strong opening paragraphs in their essays, it can be helpful to isolate writing opening paragraphs.

In this activity, provide your students with a list of essay topics and challenge them to write four different opening paragraphs for their essay, one each for The Surprising Fact , The Quotation , The Joke , and The Anecdote as listed above.

When students have completed their four paragraphs, they can then share with each other in groups and discuss which worked best and why.

This activity will help students to remember the different types of opening and how they work. It will also give them a feel for which openings work best for different types of essays.

We’ve already discussed what a thesis statement is and what it is intended to achieve, but where does it fit into the overall shape of the introductory paragraph exactly?

While there are no hard and fast rules here, thesis statements work well towards the end of the introductory paragraph – especially as the paragraph’s final sentence.

Readers are often hardwired to look for the thesis statement there. It connects the arguments that follow in the body paragraphs to the preceding sentences and contextualizes the essay for the reader.

THE BODY PARAGRAPHS

Now we get to the ‘meat’ of our essay. Each of the body paragraphs will explore one of the arguments supporting the thesis statement as laid out in the introduction.

While we are focused on the 5 paragraph essay here, longer essays will usually be constructed in exactly the same manner, they’ll just include more body paragraphs to cover the extra level of detail.

Generally, each body paragraph will open by stating the argument, with subsequent sentences supporting that argument by providing evidence along with some further explanation. Finally, a statement or phrase will help transition to the next paragraph.

The PEEL Paragraph Writing Process

The acronym PEEL can be a very useful tool to help students to understand how to organize each of their body paragraphs.

P oint : start the paragraph by expressing the central argument

E vidence : support the central argument of the paragraph by providing evidence or reasons. Evidence may come in many forms including facts and statistics, quotations from a text or other authority, reference to historical events etc.

E xplanation : explain how the evidence provided supports the paragraph’s central argument.

L ink : provide a transition into the next paragraph by linking this argument and the central thesis to the next point to be made.

Practice Activity 2:

Just as students isolated the opening to their introductory paragraph for practice purposes, in this activity they’ll isolate a single argument on a chosen essay topic.

When they have chosen a topic and selected a single argument related to that topic, they can begin to write one body paragraph using the PEEL structure outlined above.

This activity works well when several students write on the same argument. When each has completed their paragraphs, they can then compare the results with each other.

It can be a fascinating experiment that allows the students to see just how diverse different treatments of the same argument using the same PEEL formula can be – there is freedom within the discipline of the structure!

THE CONCLUSION

The purpose of the conclusion is to close the circle of the essay. It is a chance for the writer to restate the thesis statement, summarize the main arguments, and tie up any loose ends as the writer drives home their point one last time.

At this stage of the game, no new arguments should be introduced. However, students should revisit the previous arguments made in the body paragraphs and it is acceptable to offer up a new insight or two on these.

The student should take care here to make sure they leave no doubt in the reader’s mind that the essay question is fully answered. One useful way of doing this is by incorporating words and phrases from the essay question into the conclusion itself.

To help students grasp the underlying structure of a concluding paragraph, the following sequential structure is useful to keep in mind:

• Starts with a closing phrase such as In conclusion , There is no doubt , Finally etc
• Restates the main thesis statement
• Summarizes the main point of each of the body paragraphs
• Leaves the reader with something to think about.

Practice Activity 3:

Again, here we will isolate the concluding paragraph for focused practice.

Students select a topic they know well, decide what they think about that topic, write down a few key arguments, and then begin writing a concluding paragraph to an essay on that topic.

Students should use the template above to structure that material.

You could also include an element of peer assessment here by having students swap their paragraphs with each other, before offering each other feedback.

The Post Writing Stage: Editing & Proofreading YOUR 5 paragraph ESSAY

The final stage of writing a five-paragraph essay is perhaps the least glamorous of an unglamorous process, but no less essential for it – the editing and proofreading.

Often, our students overlook this stage. After completing the process of research, planning, and writing their five-paragraph essay, they let themselves down at this final, crucial stage.

Frequently, students fail to adequately edit and proofread their work not just because of laziness, but because they are unsure of exactly what this process entails.

To avoid this, ensure students understand that editing and proofreading involve reading through and correcting mistakes in the following areas one after the other:

• Text Organisation: title, headings, layout etc
• Sentence Structure: coherence, grammar , sentence variety etc
• Word Choice: suitable word choices, avoid repetition etc
• Spelling and Punctuation: accuracy in both areas.

Practice Activity 4:

Once students have completed their essays, appoint each a partner to work with and each then edits and proofreads the other person’s work.

Sometimes students struggle to gain the necessary distance from their own work to adequately edit and proofread it, this exercise overcomes that issue while giving them an opportunity to gain some valuable editing and proofreading experience that will benefit them in future.

CLOSING THE CIRCLE

So, there you have it – how to write a five-paragraph essay from start to finish. As with anything, the more practice students get, the quicker they will improve.

But, bear in mind too that writing essays is hard work and you don’t want to put students off.

The best way to provide opportunities for students to develop the various skills related to essay writing is to isolate them in the manner apparent in the activities described above.

This way, students can soon sharpen up their skills, without learning to dread the word ‘essay’ itself!

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

Five Paragraph Essay exampleS (Student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of student writing samples of 5 paragraph essays.  Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail.  Please take a moment to both read the 5 paragraph essay in detail but also the teacher and student guides which highlight some of the key elements of this structured model of essay writing here.

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of 5 paragraph essay writing.

We would recommend reading the example either a year above and below, as well as the grade you are currently working with to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.

5 PARAGRAPH ESSAY VIDEO TUTORIALS

Subject Material

How to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay

The five-paragraph essay is often assigned to students to help them in this process. A good five-paragraph essay is a lot like a triple-decker burger, and it is therefore often called the hamburger essay. It requires a clear introduction and conclusion (the top and bottom bun) that hold the main body of the essay (the burger and all the juicy stuff) in place.

Before you start writing an essay, you need to get organised. Read through the task you are given several times, underlining important words that tell you what you are expected to do. Pay special attention to the verbs in the task you are given ('discuss', 'summarise', 'give an account of', 'argue'…). Make sure you do what you are asked and that you answer the whole question, not just parts of it.

Introduction

The introduction to a text is extremely important. A good introduction should accomplish three things:

• Firstly, try to capture the reader’s interest and create a desire to read on and learn more. There are many ways to achieve this. For example, you can start with a relevant quotation from a famous person or a short anecdote. You could also present some interesting statistics, state a startling fact, or simply pose a challenging question.
• Secondly, provide the reader with the necessary information to understand the main body of the text. Explain what the paper is about and why this topic is important. What is the specific focus of this paper? Include background information about your topic to establish its context.
• Thirdly, present your approach to the topic and your thesis statement. The thesis statement is the main idea of the essay expressed in a single sentence. Make sure your thesis statement comes out clearly in your introduction.

The body of the essay consists of three paragraphs, each limited to one idea that supports your thesis. Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence: a sentence that presents the main idea of the paragraph. The first paragraph should contain the strongest argument and the most significant examples, while the third paragraph should contain the weakest arguments and examples. Include as much explanation and discussion as is necessary to explain the main point of the paragraph. You should try to use details and specific examples to make your ideas clear and convincing.

In order to create a coherent text, you must avoid jumping from one idea to the next. Always remember: one idea per paragraph. A good essay needs good transitions between the different paragraphs. Use the end of one paragraph and/or the beginning of the next to show the relationship between the two ideas. This transition can be built into the topic sentence of the next paragraph, or it can be the concluding sentence of the first.

You can also use linking words to introduce the next paragraph. Examples of linking words are: in fact, on the whole, furthermore, as a result, simply put, for this reason, similarly, likewise, it follows that, naturally, by comparison, surely, yet, firstly, secondly, thirdly …

This is your fifth and final paragraph. The conclusion is what the reader will read last and remember best. Therefore, it is important that it is well written. In the conclusion, you should summarise your main points and re-assert your main claim. The conclusion should wrap up all that is said before, without starting off on a new topic. Avoid repeating specific examples.

There are several ways to end an essay. You need to find a way to leave your reader with a sense of closure. The easiest way to do this is simply to repeat the main points of the body of your text in the conclusion, but try to do this in a way that sums up rather than repeats. Another way to do it is to answer a question that you posed in the introduction. You may also want to include a relevant quotation that throws light on your message.

A few notes before you hand in your essay

After you have finished, read through your essay with a critical eye. Does your thesis statement in the introduction match the discussion in the main body and the conclusive statements in the final paragraph? It is important that you build your text logically, so that each part of the essay supports, proves, and reflects your thesis.

You should also remember that a good writer of formal essays:

• does not use abbreviations or contractions.
• does not use first-person pronouns, such as 'I', 'me' and 'my'. It is better to make your statements more general, using 'it is commonly believed that', 'we tend to think', 'scientists argue that'…
• does not engage in personal stories. Stories about your own life experiences, or the experiences of your friends or families do not belong in academic writing.
• does not use a language which is too casual, such as sentences that begin with words like 'well', 'sure', 'now', 'yes', 'no' ...
• does not use slang. Words like 'gonna' and 'wanna' are not accepted in formal essays.
• does not start sentences with conjunctions: 'but', 'and', 'or', 'because'…”.
• uses linking words. This creates better logic and coherence in your text.

Below we have structured three short essays for you and given you the topic sentences for each paragraph. Choose one of them and write it as a full text. Add facts and reflections under each paragraph. Make sure there are good transitions between the paragraphs.

The importance of learning English

Introduction: the importance of learning English

Living in a multicultural world

International job market

A better travelling experience

The importance of a good education

Introduction: the importance of a good education

Competitive job market

Independence

Personal growth

Living in a digital world

Introduction: living in a digital world

Important for working life

Important in communication

Part of our everyday lives

Cite or use

Learning content.

Non-Fiction and Vocational Texts

The Five Paragraph Essay: Developing and Organizing Your Ideas

Introduction.

Your introduction should entice your reader to read on, as well as prepare them to follow your discussion or argument by providing necessary, relevant, or helpful context, background, and/or information about your subject. This can include: names, dates, places, and key terms.

Your thesis should first present a clear statement of your argument or main idea about your subject, and second, introduce the reasoning, examples, information, anecdotes, and/or sources you will use to support or illustrate your argument.

• I believe _____ (OR _____ is true)

Body Paragraphs

Each of the three body paragraphs of your essay should include a topic sentence or sentences that clearly signal to the reader which of your “because” statements you are going to address. Next, the paragraph should present in detail the reasoning, anecdotes, examples, facts, statistics, or sources , in other words, the evidence that has led you to your statement. Remember to present your body paragraphs in a logical order.

Topic sentence for body paragraph #1 __________

Supporting points __________

Topic sentence for body paragraph #2 __________

Topic sentence for body paragraph #3 __________

Your conclusion should not only remind the reader of your topic, your thesis, and your evidence, but also should ask the reader to think more deeply about your subject by addressing its implications or broader significance. If you’re stuck, ask yourself: Why should someone care about my subject? What would be different if not for my subject? What is the influence of my subject in history? What does my subject mean for the future? How does my subject relate to everyday life? How does my subject fit into a larger discussion? What lessons can be learned from my subject?

How to Write a 5-Paragraph Essay: Outline, Examples, & Writing Steps

If you wish a skill that would be helpful not just for middle school or high school, but also for college and university, it would be the skill of a five-paragraph essay. Despite its simple format, many students struggle with such assignments.

A 5-paragraph essay structure consists of an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. It is one of the fundamental techniques for primary English education. It is also used to test the level of knowledge in almost any humanities subject.

• 👣 7 Writing Steps
• 📝 Essay Examples

🔗 References

📑 5-paragraph essay outline.

This genre is probably the most structured type of writing. It starts from a broad explanation and definitions, continues with narrow argumentation, and finishes with another broad generalization. The Hamburger Format can help you memorize the step-by-step essay structure .

Top Bun: Five-Paragraph Essay Introduction

The first sentence is usually a hook . It may be a rhetorical question, a stunning fact, or an example from real life. Its purpose is to make the reader interested in what’s going to come next.

It is hard to recollect that some 20 years ago, cell phones used to be a luxury.

Then you are supposed to provide a “ trailer for the movie :” hint what you are going to talk about, without revealing the plot. Two or three sentences will suffice.

Secondary school teachers can tell the children to put away their gadgets, but this practice becomes hardly possible at college, where adult people are taught.

The last sentence of an introduction is a thesis . It introduces your message to the reader and is usually arguable.

This essay explores why it is morally permissible to introduce cell phone control at colleges and what results it may entail.

5-Paragraph Essay Body

Lettuce: paragraph #1.

• The first paragraph should provide the most prominent and substantial argument .
• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence . It links your ideas to the thesis statement. If at some point, you realize that there is a discrepancy between your topic sentences and the thesis, you should update the latter.
• Then comes the evidence or explanation . Avoid generalizations here. Defend your argument in the most concise manner. If any words could be left out, they should be deleted.
• Finish each paragraph with an analysis : how does it refer to your thesis?

Tomato: Paragraph #2

The second and third paragraphs follow the same structure. Your “tomato” argument is the weakest and less evident than the first one.

Burger: Paragraph #3

Dedicate the last paragraph to the most persuasive claim. In an argumentative essay, the third paragraph dwells upon the opposing opinion, substantiating its wrongness.

Bottom Bun: Five-Paragraph Essay Conclusion

A conclusion intends to summarize the main body paragraphs and restate the thesis in different words. The last sentence of your conclusion should indicate that the text is over.

Having considered everything mentioned above, it shall be stated that the use of telephones ruins the learning process and should be controlled.

5-Paragraph Essay: Outline Template

To simplify the outline above, feel free to use the following 5-paragraph essay template. It will do for any essay length.

• “movie trailer”
• thesis statement
• topic sentence
• allusion to thesis
• overall concluding sentence

How Many Words Is a 5-Paragraph Essay?

A typical five-paragraph essay is 500 to 1000 words long . However, for easy writing, the average of 250 to 500 words is admissible. This word count should be distributed among the introduction, three body paragraphs (each consisting of a topic sentence and at least three evidence sentences), and the conclusion.

👣 How to Write a 5-Paragraph Essay: 7 Steps

Step 1. choose your 5-paragraph essay topic.

As a rule, the teacher provides the topic or at least the scope of topics in the assignment. However, it may happen that you will have to come up with your own theme. To avoid changing the title in the course of writing and starting the whole work from the beginning, make sure you observe the following rules:

• Avoid overused subjects if you don’t want half of your classmates to have similar essays.

• Try to find a narrow topic that suggests an argument.

• The best topic is the one that you would argue with your friend for hours . If you feel excited thinking about it, your readers will enjoy learning about your opinion.

Step 2. Create Your Thesis Statement

Simply put, the thesis statement is the point of your essay. A well-developed thesis statement is a one- or two-sentence summary of what your essay shows and how it shows it. In other words, it should outline the points that will be made in your body and indicate the conclusion made from those points.

A thesis statement is the centerpiece of your essay. And this is why writing a thesis statement should happen first . It shouldn’t be the first sentence of your essay, but it must be in your introduction. Ideally, the thesis statement should be tucked into the middle or end of the first paragraph while writing essay introductions.

Here are a few thesis statement examples to make sure you understand the idea:

Thesis Statement Example #1

“There are many organic foods available today, but the vast majority of conventional foods can be eaten without any concern about the consumption of toxic pesticides. This is because many foods are not grown with pesticides, while thick peels cover the edible parts of other crops, and some agricultural foods are grown with nontoxic pesticides.”

Thesis Statement Example #2

“Detroit did not become the automotive capital of the United States overnight. Rather, automotive manufacturing became established in Detroit because of its position in proximity to raw materials like steel, navigable waterways, and the efforts of local entrepreneurs.”

Thesis Statement Example #3

“Three key design elements that defined the Art Deco movement were bold geometric shapes, rich colors, and luxurious ornamentation.”

Notice the similarities shared by these thesis statements. They each list three points that will be elaborated on in the body. Five paragraph essays rely upon this magic number of 3 points, which is discussed next. And you can also imagine the essay that each of these statements belongs to.

Step 3. Structure Your 5-Paragraph Essay

Five paragraph essays require a very special sort of discipline. In this case, you only have five paragraphs to work with, so there is only one structure that makes sense: one introduction paragraph, three body paragraphs, and one conclusion paragraph. Above there is detailed information about the five-paragraph essay outline. In the next few paragraphs, its part’s goals and the ideas they should convey are described in more detail.

Step 4. Write Your 5-Paragraph Essay Introduction

The purpose of an introduction is to demonstrate the focus of the essay. An introduction should provide enough information to orient the reader to the essay subject, state the thesis statement, and roughly outline the body’s content.

• When you are writing an introduction, you first need to grab the attention of the reader . Your introduction’s first sentence should be a bold statement, a striking fact, or a provocative question. The trick here is to use something memorable. This is one reason many essays begin with a famous quote.
• After you have the attention of the reader, give a little more background about your essay topic.
• Then use your thesis statement to indicate what your essay is about clearly.
• After this, you should conclude your introduction with a quick summary of the points you will be making in the body.

Step 5. Write Your 5-Paragraph Essay Body

The purpose of a body is to explain the content of an essay. If you are writing a standard college essay, like an argumentative essay or an analytical essay, each of these paragraphs will unfold one of the points you mentioned in your introduction.

Every paragraph of the body is like a miniature essay:

• Each paragraph has a point or thesis statement
• Each paragraph starts with an introductory sentence
• Each paragraph ends with a brief conclusion

If the body paragraphs feature separate topics, sometimes they will appear disconnected to your reader. Transition sentences fix this problem. As the first or last sentence of a body paragraph, they help transition the reader from one idea to another.

There are countless ways to write transitions, but this is the easiest process. Write each of your body paragraphs as you naturally would. And then revise your text to link the ideas with transitions. One of the basic essay example thesis statements was from an essay about the automotive industry in Detroit. You could link a paragraph about access to raw materials with a paragraph about adjacency to waterways using the following transition sentences:

Transition Sentence: Example #1

“Steel was cheap because it was produced near Detroit, but this raw material was made even cheaper by the Great Lakes’ nearby waterways.”

Transition Sentence: Example #2

“Proximity to coal and iron ore was not the only advantage Detroit had in becoming the automotive capital of the 20th century.”

After you’ve written your essay, go back and check to make sure that you use a transition sentence between every paragraph. Often, you can turn the first or last sentence of a paragraph into a transition.

Step 7. Edit Your 5-Paragraph Essay

For most essays, you will have time to check your work and revise it. Though exams and tests may limit you, try to budget enough time to reread your essay. As you are doing that, here are some great questions to ask yourself. As you answer these questions about your writing , try to put yourself in the position of your reader.

The top trick for how to write a college essay is, of course, the same top trick for writing a high school essay or any other writing at all—that is, rewriting. This is the stage when good writing becomes great writing. This is your chance to fix the issues you uncovered while rereading your essay. Keep it simple. If you encounter a difficult sentence to understand or is more than two lines long, try to figure out ways to break it up. Simplifying your ideas is an essential part of the rewriting process.

📝 5-Paragraph Essay Examples

In this section, you’ll find a free 5-paragraph essay sample. It focuses on the disadvantages of home-based education. Note that the full version of the text is downloadable!

Disadvantages of Home-Based Education

Currently, education seems to be more accessible than ever before. The technological progress of the last century rendered information and learning instruments more available, facilitating alternative education types such as home-based learning. Compared to formal education, homeschooling practices seem to have a long-standing history since for a significant part of human existence knowledge and skills were transmitted directly from parents to their offspring. Although home-based education predates formal schooling, its long history should not be the reason to select this type of education since it has several downsides: effectiveness, socialization, and time and monetary resources.

5-Paragraph Essay Topics

• Cooperation of Treyarch and Pepsi’s from the virtue ethics perspective.
• Examine the situation with food packaging litter in Ireland. 
• Should World Trade Organization tasks and policies be revised?
• Discuss how Codex Hammurabi helps to understand the judicial system of ancient Babylon.
• Analyze the stylistic devices Elie Wiesel uses in his novel Night .  
• What can be done to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia?
• Analyze the storming of the Bastille.
• Describe the different meanings of the term honor.  
• Why the Internet is an effective instrument of advertisement.
• How artificial intelligence facilitates the accountants’ work.
• The collaboration agreement and its advantage to companies.  
• Analyze the Ritz-Carlton Hotel’s company.
• Analyze the importance and methods of quantitative research .
• Why do we have to protect sharks from extinction?  
• The influence of peers on behavior change of teenagers.
• The role of clothing designer in a movie production.
• Discuss college experience of a nursing student.
• How to get rid of fear of public speaking.
• Analyze the development of the U.S. household appliance stores.
• Foreign relations of Korea in the first decades of the 19th century.
• Review of the article Why the Student Loan Crisis Is Everyone’s Problem?
• Describe the main character of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King.
• The effect of cancer on the DNA replication.
• Are the anti-bullying programs really working?
• Examine the rhetorical techniques used in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery .
• The pathogenic bacterium of streptococcus: definition, prevention, and treatment.
• Explore the task of the manager in modern empowered teams.
• Analyze the reliability of the article Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment .
• Discuss the issues and possible solutions for the gifted education program.
• The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on social media activism.
• The effectiveness of sensitivity training against workplace prejudices.
• How does a vacuum cleaner work?
• Describe the ways media can promote terrorists’ agenda.
• The role of prayers in major world’s religions.
• The defining traits of Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus. 
• Describe the field experience at the science lesson. 
• Discuss the importance of employee motivation.
• Benefit corporations as a new element of modern business.
• Role of advertisement in creating the nursing image .
• Is goal attainment theory compatible with personal nursing philosophy?
• Why it is critical to eliminate orientation-based prejudices in the workplace.
• Reasons of the failure of Superior Bank FSB.
• The crucial meaning of a qualified nurse for preservation of patient’s health.
• Compare different ideas of a good life from an ethical perspective .
• The importance of development the cybersecurity industry.  
• Explore how the authors reveal the theme of true freedom in The Cask of Amontillado , Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed , and The Story of an Hour .
• Shakespeare’s sonnets from the perspective of Lynne Magnusson.  
• The interpretation of healthcare in Health Care Reform and Equity by Fiscella.
• How can a leader establish a friendly and calm atmosphere in the team?
• Role of social media in promotion of positive changes in society.  

✏️ 5 Paragraph Essay FAQ

A concise paper with an Introduction, 3 paragraphs in the body part, and a Conclusion, is a popular format for student essays. Each paragraph of the body should present a new idea with a couple of arguments or examples. This structure looks neat and cohesive.

A 5-paragraph essay is relatively fast and easy to write. Here are 3 simple steps you may take:

1. Create an outline with key ideas (at least 3 points for the body),

2. Write those 3 body paragraphs with examples,

3. Add an introduction and a conclusion.

The time you spend to write about 2 pages depends on multiple factors:

1. The complexity of the topic,

2. How experienced you are,

3. How serious you take the task.

In any case, 2 hours should be enough. Create an outline to save time.

The second paragraph typically opens the body part of the essay. Some ways to begin it are:

1. present the first argument;

2. provide an example (remember to explain why it is relevant);

3. write down a hypothesis.

In rare cases, the second paragraph might be an addition to the intro.

• The Ultimate Guide to the 5-Paragraph Essay: Grace Fleming, ThoughtCo
• Ending the Essay, Conclusions: Pat Bellanca, for the Writing Center at Harvard University
• Writing Paragraphs: The Writing Centre, University of Ottawa
• Essay Introduction: OWLL, Massey University
• The Basics of Effective Essay Writing: Becton Loveless, Education Corner
• Suggestions for Proofreading Your Paper: Purdue Writing Lab
• Basic Essay Structure: The Five-Paragraph Essay (Study.com)
• Example Five-Paragraph Essay (UW Madison)
• Write Your Essay | UNSW Current Students
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How to Write an A+ Argumentative Essay

Miscellaneous

You'll no doubt have to write a number of argumentative essays in both high school and college, but what, exactly, is an argumentative essay and how do you write the best one possible? Let's take a look.

A great argumentative essay always combines the same basic elements: approaching an argument from a rational perspective, researching sources, supporting your claims using facts rather than opinion, and articulating your reasoning into the most cogent and reasoned points. Argumentative essays are great building blocks for all sorts of research and rhetoric, so your teachers will expect you to master the technique before long.

But if this sounds daunting, never fear! We'll show how an argumentative essay differs from other kinds of papers, how to research and write them, how to pick an argumentative essay topic, and where to find example essays. So let's get started.

What Is an Argumentative Essay? How Is it Different from Other Kinds of Essays?

There are two basic requirements for any and all essays: to state a claim (a thesis statement) and to support that claim with evidence.

Though every essay is founded on these two ideas, there are several different types of essays, differentiated by the style of the writing, how the writer presents the thesis, and the types of evidence used to support the thesis statement.

Essays can be roughly divided into four different types:

#1: Argumentative #2: Persuasive #3: Expository #4: Analytical

So let's look at each type and what the differences are between them before we focus the rest of our time to argumentative essays.

Argumentative Essay

Argumentative essays are what this article is all about, so let's talk about them first.

An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance.

An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument —the writer's argument— is the factually and logically correct one. This means that an argumentative essay must use only evidence-based support to back up a claim , rather than emotional or philosophical reasoning (which is often allowed in other types of essays). Thus, an argumentative essay has a burden of substantiated proof and sources , whereas some other types of essays (namely persuasive essays) do not.

You can write an argumentative essay on any topic, so long as there's room for argument. Generally, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one, so long as you support the argumentative essay with hard evidence.

Example topics of an argumentative essay:

• "Should farmers be allowed to shoot wolves if those wolves injure or kill farm animals?"
• "Should the drinking age be lowered in the United States?"
• "Are alternatives to democracy effective and/or feasible to implement?"

The next three types of essays are not argumentative essays, but you may have written them in school. We're going to cover them so you know what not to do for your argumentative essay.

Persuasive Essay

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative essays, so it can be easy to get them confused. But knowing what makes an argumentative essay different than a persuasive essay can often mean the difference between an excellent grade and an average one.

Persuasive essays seek to persuade a reader to agree with the point of view of the writer, whether that point of view is based on factual evidence or not. The writer has much more flexibility in the evidence they can use, with the ability to use moral, cultural, or opinion-based reasoning as well as factual reasoning to persuade the reader to agree the writer's side of a given issue.

Instead of being forced to use "pure" reason as one would in an argumentative essay, the writer of a persuasive essay can manipulate or appeal to the reader's emotions. So long as the writer attempts to steer the readers into agreeing with the thesis statement, the writer doesn't necessarily need hard evidence in favor of the argument.

Often, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one—the difference is all in the approach and the evidence you present.

Example topics of a persuasive essay:

• "Should children be responsible for their parents' debts?"
• "Should cheating on a test be automatic grounds for expulsion?"
• "How much should sports leagues be held accountable for player injuries and the long-term consequences of those injuries?"

Expository Essay

An expository essay is typically a short essay in which the writer explains an idea, issue, or theme , or discusses the history of a person, place, or idea.

This is typically a fact-forward essay with little argument or opinion one way or the other.

Example topics of an expository essay:

• "The History of the Philadelphia Liberty Bell"
• "The Reasons I Always Wanted to be a Doctor"
• "The Meaning Behind the Colloquialism ‘People in Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones'"

Analytical Essay

An analytical essay seeks to delve into the deeper meaning of a text or work of art, or unpack a complicated idea . These kinds of essays closely interpret a source and look into its meaning by analyzing it at both a macro and micro level.

This type of analysis can be augmented by historical context or other expert or widely-regarded opinions on the subject, but is mainly supported directly through the original source (the piece or art or text being analyzed) .

Example topics of an analytical essay:

• "Victory Gin in Place of Water: The Symbolism Behind Gin as the Only Potable Substance in George Orwell's 1984"
• "Amarna Period Art: The Meaning Behind the Shift from Rigid to Fluid Poses"
• "Adultery During WWII, as Told Through a Series of Letters to and from Soldiers"

There are many different types of essay and, over time, you'll be able to master them all.

A Typical Argumentative Essay Assignment

The average argumentative essay is between three to five pages, and will require at least three or four separate sources with which to back your claims . As for the essay topic , you'll most often be asked to write an argumentative essay in an English class on a "general" topic of your choice, ranging the gamut from science, to history, to literature.

But while the topics of an argumentative essay can span several different fields, the structure of an argumentative essay is always the same: you must support a claim—a claim that can reasonably have multiple sides—using multiple sources and using a standard essay format (which we'll talk about later on).

This is why many argumentative essay topics begin with the word "should," as in:

• "Should all students be required to learn chemistry in high school?"
• "Should children be required to learn a second language?"
• "Should schools or governments be allowed to ban books?"

These topics all have at least two sides of the argument: Yes or no. And you must support the side you choose with evidence as to why your side is the correct one.

But there are also plenty of other ways to frame an argumentative essay as well:

• "Does using social media do more to benefit or harm people?"
• "Does the legal status of artwork or its creators—graffiti and vandalism, pirated media, a creator who's in jail—have an impact on the art itself?"
• "Is or should anyone ever be ‘above the law?'"

Though these are worded differently than the first three, you're still essentially forced to pick between two sides of an issue: yes or no, for or against, benefit or detriment. Though your argument might not fall entirely into one side of the divide or another—for instance, you could claim that social media has positively impacted some aspects of modern life while being a detriment to others—your essay should still support one side of the argument above all. Your final stance would be that overall , social media is beneficial or overall , social media is harmful.

If your argument is one that is mostly text-based or backed by a single source (e.g., "How does Salinger show that Holden Caulfield is an unreliable narrator?" or "Does Gatsby personify the American Dream?"), then it's an analytical essay, rather than an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay will always be focused on more general topics so that you can use multiple sources to back up your claims.

Good Argumentative Essay Topics

So you know the basic idea behind an argumentative essay, but what topic should you write about?

Again, almost always, you'll be asked to write an argumentative essay on a free topic of your choice, or you'll be asked to select between a few given topics . If you're given complete free reign of topics, then it'll be up to you to find an essay topic that no only appeals to you, but that you can turn into an A+ argumentative essay.

What makes a "good" argumentative essay topic depends on both the subject matter and your personal interest —it can be hard to give your best effort on something that bores you to tears! But it can also be near impossible to write an argumentative essay on a topic that has no room for debate.

As we said earlier, a good argumentative essay topic will be one that has the potential to reasonably go in at least two directions—for or against, yes or no, and why . For example, it's pretty hard to write an argumentative essay on whether or not people should be allowed to murder one another—not a whole lot of debate there for most people!—but writing an essay for or against the death penalty has a lot more wiggle room for evidence and argument.

A good topic is also one that can be substantiated through hard evidence and relevant sources . So be sure to pick a topic that other people have studied (or at least studied elements of) so that you can use their data in your argument. For example, if you're arguing that it should be mandatory for all middle school children to play a sport, you might have to apply smaller scientific data points to the larger picture you're trying to justify. There are probably several studies you could cite on the benefits of physical activity and the positive effect structure and teamwork has on young minds, but there's probably no study you could use where a group of scientists put all middle-schoolers in one jurisdiction into a mandatory sports program (since that's probably never happened). So long as your evidence is relevant to your point and you can extrapolate from it to form a larger whole, you can use it as a part of your resource material.

And if you need ideas on where to get started, or just want to see sample argumentative essay topics, then check out these links for hundreds of potential argumentative essay topics.

101 Persuasive (or Argumentative) Essay and Speech Topics

301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Top 50 Ideas for Argumentative/Persuasive Essay Writing

[Note: some of these say "persuasive essay topics," but just remember that the same topic can often be used for both a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay; the difference is in your writing style and the evidence you use to support your claims.]

KO! Find that one argumentative essay topic you can absolutely conquer.

Argumentative Essay Format

Argumentative Essays are composed of four main elements:

• A position (your argument)
• Your reasons
• Supporting evidence for those reasons (from reliable sources)
• Counterargument(s) (possible opposing arguments and reasons why those arguments are incorrect)

If you're familiar with essay writing in general, then you're also probably familiar with the five paragraph essay structure . This structure is a simple tool to show how one outlines an essay and breaks it down into its component parts, although it can be expanded into as many paragraphs as you want beyond the core five.

The standard argumentative essay is often 3-5 pages, which will usually mean a lot more than five paragraphs, but your overall structure will look the same as a much shorter essay.

An argumentative essay at its simplest structure will look like:

Paragraph 1: Intro

• Set up the story/problem/issue
• Thesis/claim

Paragraph 2: Support

• Reason #1 claim is correct
• Supporting evidence with sources

Paragraph 3: Support

• Reason #2 claim is correct

Paragraph 4: Counterargument

• Explanation of argument for the other side
• Refutation of opposing argument with supporting evidence

Paragraph 5: Conclusion

• Re-state claim
• Sum up reasons and support of claim from the essay to prove claim is correct

Now let's unpack each of these paragraph types to see how they work (with examples!), what goes into them, and why.

Paragraph 1—Set Up and Claim

Your first task is to introduce the reader to the topic at hand so they'll be prepared for your claim. Give a little background information, set the scene, and give the reader some stakes so that they care about the issue you're going to discuss.

Next, you absolutely must have a position on an argument and make that position clear to the readers. It's not an argumentative essay unless you're arguing for a specific claim, and this claim will be your thesis statement.

Your thesis CANNOT be a mere statement of fact (e.g., "Washington DC is the capital of the United States"). Your thesis must instead be an opinion which can be backed up with evidence and has the potential to be argued against (e.g., "New York should be the capital of the United States").

Paragraphs 2 and 3—Your Evidence

These are your body paragraphs in which you give the reasons why your argument is the best one and back up this reasoning with concrete evidence .

The argument supporting the thesis of an argumentative essay should be one that can be supported by facts and evidence, rather than personal opinion or cultural or religious mores.

For example, if you're arguing that New York should be the new capital of the US, you would have to back up that fact by discussing the factual contrasts between New York and DC in terms of location, population, revenue, and laws. You would then have to talk about the precedents for what makes for a good capital city and why New York fits the bill more than DC does.

Your argument can't simply be that a lot of people think New York is the best city ever and that you agree.

In addition to using concrete evidence, you always want to keep the tone of your essay passionate, but impersonal . Even though you're writing your argument from a single opinion, don't use first person language—"I think," "I feel," "I believe,"—to present your claims. Doing so is repetitive, since by writing the essay you're already telling the audience what you feel, and using first person language weakens your writing voice.

For example,

"I think that Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."

"Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."

The second statement sounds far stronger and more analytical.

Paragraph 4—Argument for the Other Side and Refutation

Even without a counter argument, you can make a pretty persuasive claim, but a counterargument will round out your essay into one that is much more persuasive and substantial.

By anticipating an argument against your claim and taking the initiative to counter it, you're allowing yourself to get ahead of the game. This way, you show that you've given great thought to all sides of the issue before choosing your position, and you demonstrate in multiple ways how yours is the more reasoned and supported side.

Paragraph 5—Conclusion

This paragraph is where you re-state your argument and summarize why it's the best claim.

Briefly touch on your supporting evidence and voila! A finished argumentative essay.

Your essay should have just as awesome a skeleton as this plesiosaur does. (In other words: a ridiculously awesome skeleton)

Argumentative Essay Example: 5-Paragraph Style

It always helps to have an example to learn from. I've written a full 5-paragraph argumentative essay here. Look at how I state my thesis in paragraph 1, give supporting evidence in paragraphs 2 and 3, address a counterargument in paragraph 4, and conclude in paragraph 5.

Topic: Is it possible to maintain conflicting loyalties?

Paragraph 1

It is almost impossible to go through life without encountering a situation where your loyalties to different people or causes come into conflict with each other. Maybe you have a loving relationship with your sister, but she disagrees with your decision to join the army, or you find yourself torn between your cultural beliefs and your scientific ones. These conflicting loyalties can often be maintained for a time, but as examples from both history and psychological theory illustrate, sooner or later, people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever.

The first two sentences set the scene and give some hypothetical examples and stakes for the reader to care about.

The third sentence finishes off the intro with the thesis statement, making very clear how the author stands on the issue ("people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever." )

Paragraphs 2 and 3

Psychological theory states that human beings are not equipped to maintain conflicting loyalties indefinitely and that attempting to do so leads to a state called "cognitive dissonance." Cognitive dissonance theory is the psychological idea that people undergo tremendous mental stress or anxiety when holding contradictory beliefs, values, or loyalties (Festinger, 1957). Even if human beings initially hold a conflicting loyalty, they will do their best to find a mental equilibrium by making a choice between those loyalties—stay stalwart to a belief system or change their beliefs. One of the earliest formal examples of cognitive dissonance theory comes from Leon Festinger's When Prophesy Fails . Members of an apocalyptic cult are told that the end of the world will occur on a specific date and that they alone will be spared the Earth's destruction. When that day comes and goes with no apocalypse, the cult members face a cognitive dissonance between what they see and what they've been led to believe (Festinger, 1956). Some choose to believe that the cult's beliefs are still correct, but that the Earth was simply spared from destruction by mercy, while others choose to believe that they were lied to and that the cult was fraudulent all along. Both beliefs cannot be correct at the same time, and so the cult members are forced to make their choice.

But even when conflicting loyalties can lead to potentially physical, rather than just mental, consequences, people will always make a choice to fall on one side or other of a dividing line. Take, for instance, Nicolaus Copernicus, a man born and raised in Catholic Poland (and educated in Catholic Italy). Though the Catholic church dictated specific scientific teachings, Copernicus' loyalty to his own observations and scientific evidence won out over his loyalty to his country's government and belief system. When he published his heliocentric model of the solar system--in opposition to the geocentric model that had been widely accepted for hundreds of years (Hannam, 2011)-- Copernicus was making a choice between his loyalties. In an attempt t o maintain his fealty both to the established system and to what he believed, h e sat on his findings for a number of years (Fantoli, 1994). But, ultimately, Copernicus made the choice to side with his beliefs and observations above all and published his work for the world to see (even though, in doing so, he risked both his reputation and personal freedoms).

These two paragraphs provide the reasons why the author supports the main argument and uses substantiated sources to back those reasons.

The paragraph on cognitive dissonance theory gives both broad supporting evidence and more narrow, detailed supporting evidence to show why the thesis statement is correct not just anecdotally but also scientifically and psychologically. First, we see why people in general have a difficult time accepting conflicting loyalties and desires and then how this applies to individuals through the example of the cult members from the Dr. Festinger's research.

The next paragraph continues to use more detailed examples from history to provide further evidence of why the thesis that people cannot indefinitely maintain conflicting loyalties is true.

Paragraph 4

Some will claim that it is possible to maintain conflicting beliefs or loyalties permanently, but this is often more a matter of people deluding themselves and still making a choice for one side or the other, rather than truly maintaining loyalty to both sides equally. For example, Lancelot du Lac typifies a person who claims to maintain a balanced loyalty between to two parties, but his attempt to do so fails (as all attempts to permanently maintain conflicting loyalties must). Lancelot tells himself and others that he is equally devoted to both King Arthur and his court and to being Queen Guinevere's knight (Malory, 2008). But he can neither be in two places at once to protect both the king and queen, nor can he help but let his romantic feelings for the queen to interfere with his duties to the king and the kingdom. Ultimately, he and Queen Guinevere give into their feelings for one another and Lancelot—though he denies it—chooses his loyalty to her over his loyalty to Arthur. This decision plunges the kingdom into a civil war, ages Lancelot prematurely, and ultimately leads to Camelot's ruin (Raabe, 1987). Though Lancelot claimed to have been loyal to both the king and the queen, this loyalty was ultimately in conflict, and he could not maintain it.

Here we have the acknowledgement of a potential counter-argument and the evidence as to why it isn't true.

The argument is that some people (or literary characters) have asserted that they give equal weight to their conflicting loyalties. The refutation is that, though some may claim to be able to maintain conflicting loyalties, they're either lying to others or deceiving themselves. The paragraph shows why this is true by providing an example of this in action.

Paragraph 5

Whether it be through literature or history, time and time again, people demonstrate the challenges of trying to manage conflicting loyalties and the inevitable consequences of doing so. Though belief systems are malleable and will often change over time, it is not possible to maintain two mutually exclusive loyalties or beliefs at once. In the end, people always make a choice, and loyalty for one party or one side of an issue will always trump loyalty to the other.

The concluding paragraph summarizes the essay, touches on the evidence presented, and re-states the thesis statement.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay: 8 Steps

Writing the best argumentative essay is all about the preparation, so let's talk steps:

#1: Preliminary Research

If you have the option to pick your own argumentative essay topic (which you most likely will), then choose one or two topics you find the most intriguing or that you have a vested interest in and do some preliminary research on both sides of the debate.

Do an open internet search just to see what the general chatter is on the topic and what the research trends are.

Did your preliminary reading influence you to pick a side or change your side? Without diving into all the scholarly articles at length, do you believe there's enough evidence to support your claim? Have there been scientific studies? Experiments? Does a noted scholar in the field agree with you? If not, you may need to pick another topic or side of the argument to support.

#2: Pick Your Side and Form Your Thesis

Now's the time to pick the side of the argument you feel you can support the best and summarize your main point into your thesis statement.

Your thesis will be the basis of your entire essay, so make sure you know which side you're on, that you've stated it clearly, and that you stick by your argument throughout the entire essay .

#3: Heavy-Duty Research Time

You've taken a gander at what the internet at large has to say on your argument, but now's the time to actually read those sources and take notes.

Check scholarly journals online at Google Scholar , the Directory of Open Access Journals , or JStor . You can also search individual university or school libraries and websites to see what kinds of academic articles you can access for free. Keep track of your important quotes and page numbers and put them somewhere that's easy to find later.

And don't forget to check your school or local libraries as well!

#4: Outline

Follow the five-paragraph outline structure from the previous section.

Fill in your topic, your reasons, and your supporting evidence into each of the categories.

Before you begin to flesh out the essay, take a look at what you've got. Is your thesis statement in the first paragraph? Is it clear? Is your argument logical? Does your supporting evidence support your reasoning?

By outlining your essay, you streamline your process and take care of any logic gaps before you dive headfirst into the writing. This will save you a lot of grief later on if you need to change your sources or your structure, so don't get too trigger-happy and skip this step.

Now that you've laid out exactly what you'll need for your essay and where, it's time to fill in all the gaps by writing it out.

Take it one step at a time and expand your ideas into complete sentences and substantiated claims. It may feel daunting to turn an outline into a complete draft, but just remember that you've already laid out all the groundwork; now you're just filling in the gaps.

If you have the time before deadline, give yourself a day or two (or even just an hour!) away from your essay . Looking it over with fresh eyes will allow you to see errors, both minor and major, that you likely would have missed had you tried to edit when it was still raw.

Take a first pass over the entire essay and try your best to ignore any minor spelling or grammar mistakes—you're just looking at the big picture right now. Does it make sense as a whole? Did the essay succeed in making an argument and backing that argument up logically? (Do you feel persuaded?)

If not, go back and make notes so that you can fix it for your final draft.

Once you've made your revisions to the overall structure, mark all your small errors and grammar problems so you can fix them in the next draft.

#7: Final Draft

Use the notes you made on the rough draft and go in and hack and smooth away until you're satisfied with the final result.

A checklist for your final draft:

• Formatting is correct according to your teacher's standards
• No errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Essay is the right length and size for the assignment
• The argument is present, consistent, and concise
• Each reason is supported by relevant evidence
• The essay makes sense overall

#8: Celebrate!

Once you've brought that final draft to a perfect polish and turned in your assignment, you're done! Go you!

Be prepared and ♪ you'll never go hungry again ♪, *cough*, or struggle with your argumentative essay-writing again. (Walt Disney Studios)

Good Examples of Argumentative Essays Online

Theory is all well and good, but examples are key. Just to get you started on what a fully-fleshed out argumentative essay looks like, let's see some examples in action.

Check out these two argumentative essay examples on the use of landmines and freons (and note the excellent use of concrete sources to back up their arguments!).

The Use of Landmines

A Shattered Sky

The Take-Aways: Keys to Writing an Argumentative Essay

At first, writing an argumentative essay may seem like a monstrous hurdle to overcome, but with the proper preparation and understanding, you'll be able to knock yours out of the park.

Remember the differences between a persuasive essay and an argumentative one, make sure your thesis is clear, and double-check that your supporting evidence is both relevant to your point and well-sourced . Pick your topic, do your research, make your outline, and fill in the gaps. Before you know it, you'll have yourself an A+ argumentative essay there, my friend.

What's Next?

Now you know the ins and outs of an argumentative essay, but how comfortable are you writing in other styles? Learn more about the four writing styles and when it makes sense to use each .

Understand how to make an argument, but still having trouble organizing your thoughts? Check out our guide to three popular essay formats and choose which one is right for you.

Ready to make your case, but not sure what to write about? We've created a list of 50 potential argumentative essay topics to spark your imagination.

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How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay: Guide with Structure, Outline & Examples

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A 5-paragraph essay   is a common assignment in high school and college, requiring students to follow a standard structure. This essay format consists of five main components: an introduction paragraph, followed by 3 body paragraphs, and a final paragraph. Each paragraph serves a specific purpose and contributes to the overall coherence and organization of the essay.

Since this is one of the most popular assignments teachers give, you should be prepared to write using a five paragraph essay format. From structure and outline template to actual examples, we will explain how to write a 5 paragraph essay with ease. Follow our suggestions and you will be able to nail this task.

Our team of experienced writers is ready to provide you with high-quality, custom-written essays tailored to your specific requirements. Whether you're struggling with a complex topic or short on time, our reliable service ensures timely delivery and top-notch content. Buy essays online and forget about struggles.

FAQ About Five-Paragraph Essays

1. how long is a 5-paragraph essay.

A five-paragraph essay typically ranges from 300  to 500 words, depending on the topic and type of paper. It's important to consider the length of your essay when determining how much information you want to include in each paragraph. For shorter essays, it is best to stick to one main point per paragraph so that your essay remains concise and focused.

2. What is a 5-paragraph format?

The five-paragraph essay format is a classic structure used to organize essays and persuasive pieces. It consists of an introduction (which includes your thesis statement), 3 body paragraphs that explain each point, and a conclusion which sums up your fundamental ideas. Each paragraph should feature one main aspect, with supporting evidence discovered during research.

3. How to start a 5-paragraph essay?

The best way to start a five-paragraph essay is by writing an engaging introduction that contains your thesis statement. Your first paragraph should provide readers with some context as well as introduce your main argument. Make sure to cover at least 2 or 3 points in your thesis statement so that you have something to elaborate on further in your text.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

A 5-paragraph essay is as simple as it sounds: an essay composed of five paragraphs. It's made up of five distinct sections, namely an introduction , 3 body paragraphs and a concluding section . However, a 5 paragraph essay goes beyond just creating 5 individual sections. It's a method of organizing your thoughts and making them interconnected. 

Despite its straightforward 5-paragraph format, there's more going on beneath the surface. When writing a 5-paragraph essay, you should address the main objective of each part and arrange every section properly. 

Let’s learn about each of these sections more in detail.

A five-paragraph essay structure is often compared to a sandwich that has 3 distinct layers:

As you can notice, each of these sections plays an important role in creating the overall piece.

Imagine heading out for a journey in the woods without a map. You'd likely find yourself wandering aimlessly, right? Similarly, venturing into writing an essay without a solid essay outline is like stepping into the academic jungle without a guide. Most high school and college students ignore this step for the sake of time. But eventually they end up writing a five-paragraph essay that lacks a clear organization. 

It’s impossible to figure out how to write a 5-paragraph essay without having a well-arranged outline in front. Here’s a five-paragraph essay outline example showing subsections of each major part. 

5 Paragraph Essay Outline Example

When creating an outline for 5-paragraph essay, begin by identifying your topic and crafting a thesis statement. Your thesis statement should encapsulate your main argument. Identify 3 ideas that support your thesis to lay the foundation of your body section. For each point, think about examples and explanations that will help convince the reader of your perspective. Finally, plan what you will include in the concluding section. 

Throughout this process, remember that clarity and organization are key. While it's not necessary for your 5-paragraph outline to be "perfect", it is indeed important for it to be arranged logically. 

Below, you can spot an example of an outline created based on these instructions.

There is nothing difficult about writing a 5-paragraph essay. All you need to do is to just start creating the first sentence. But for most of us, it;s easier said than done. For this reason, we prepared informative step-by-step guidelines on how to write a 5-paragraph essay that your teacher will like. 

As we navigate these stages, remember that good writing isn't a destination, it's a process. So grab your notebook (or laptop) and let's dive into the art of crafting your five-paragraph essay.

>> Learn more: How to Write an Essay

The initial step is to make sure you have a full grasp of your assignment instructions. How well you understand the given guidelines can either make or break your 5-paragraph essay. Take a few minutes to read through your instructor’s requirements and get familiar with what you're supposed to do: 

Understanding these crucial details will help you remain on course.

Now that you have a good idea of your assignment, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start researching. Spend some quality time gathering relevant resources to get acquainted with the discussed topic. Make sure you don;t refer to outdated resources. Always give a preference to credible, recent sources.

Read these sources carefully and jot down important facts – this is what will form the basis of your essay's body section. Also, you will need to save the online sources to cite them properly.

We can’t stress enough: your thesis statement will guide your entire essay. Write 1-2 sentences that convey your underlying idea. Keep in mind that your thesis  must be succinct. There is no need for long introductions or excessive details at this point.

A five-paragraph essay outline shows how your paper will be arranged. This visual structure can be represented using bullet points or numbers. You can come up with another format. But the main idea is to prepare a plan you are going to stick to during the writing process. 

Did you know that you can send an outline to professionals and have your essay written according to the structure. Order essay from academic experts should you need any assistance.

To start a 5-paragraph essay, compose an attention-grabbing statement, such as a question or fact. This is also known as an essay hook – an intriguing opening sentence. Its goal is to spark curiosity and draw your reader into your topic.

Next, you need to establish a background and show what;s under the curtains. Write 1-2 contextual sentences helping your reader understand the broad issue you're about to discuss.

Your 5-paragraph essay introduction won’t be complete without a thesis statement – the heart of your writing. This 1 or 2-sentence statement clearly expresses the main point you will develop throughout your essay. Make sure your thesis is specific, debatable, and defensible.

>> Read more: How to Start an Essay

A body section of a standard 5-paragraph essay layout comprises 3 paragraphs. Each body paragraph should contain the most important elements of the discussion:  

Begin your body paragraph by introducing a separate aspect related to your thesis statement. For example, if you are writing about the importance of physical activity, your body paragraph may start this way: 

Don’t just make a bold statement. You will need to expand on this idea and explain it in detail. You should also incorporate facts, examples, data, or quotes that back up your topic sentence. Your evidence should sound realistic. Try to draw the examples from personal experience or  recent news. On top of that, you should analyze how this evidence ties back to your overall argument. 

It’s not a good idea to finish your body paragraph just like that. Add essay transition words to keep your five-paragraph paper cohesive. 

>> Read more: How to Write a Body Paragraph

Wrapping up your 5-paragraph essay might seem like a breeze after developing your introductory and body parts. Yet, it's crucial to ensure your conclusion is equally impactful. Don't leave it to the reader to join the dots – restate your thesis statement to reinforce your main argument. Follow this by a brief recap of the 2-3 key points you've discussed in your essay.

The last taste should be the best, so aim to end your 5-paragraph essay on a high note. Craft a compelling closing sentence that underscores the importance of your topic and leaves your reader considering future implications.

>> Learn more: How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay

Your 5-paragraph essay should be up to scratch now. However, double-check your work for any errors or typos. It's worth revising your essay at least twice for maximum impact. Our practice shows that revising your essay multiple times will help you refine the arguments, making your piece more convincing.

As you proofread, make sure the tone is consistent, and each sentence contributes something unique to the overall point of view. Also, check for spelling and grammar errors. 

Once you're happy with your 5-paragraph essay, submit it to your teacher or professor.

Students can ease their life by exploring a sample five paragraph essay example shared by one the writers. Consider buying a college essay if you want your homework to be equally good.

Here’re some bonus tips on how to write a good 5-paragraph essay:

Writing a five-paragraph essay may seem challenging at first, but with practice and determination it can become a piece of cake. Don’t forget to use your secret power – an outline, so that you have a clear idea of what points to cover in each paragraph. Make sure that you stick to the right format and cite your sources consistently. With these tips and 5 paragraph essay examples, you will be able to write an effective piece.

If any questions pop out, do not hesitate to leave the comments below or contact our professional writing service for expert assistance with your “ write an essay for me ” challenge.

• Introduction: This initial paragraph should introduce the main topic and tell what will be discussed further in the essay.
• Body: This part consists of three body paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of your subject.
• Conclusion: The final paragraph rounds off the main points and offers key takeaways.
• Hook: Spark the reader's interest.
• Brief background: Provide a general context or background.
• Thesis statement: State the main argument or position.
• Topic sentence: Introduce the main point of this paragraph.
• Supporting evidence/example 1: Provide data, examples, quotes, or anecdotes supporting your point.
• Analysis: Explain how your evidence supports your thesis.
• Transition: Tie the paragraph together and link to the next paragraph.
• Supporting evidence/example 2 : Provide further supporting evidence.
• Analysis: Discuss how the evidence relates back to your thesis.
• Transition: Summarize the point and smoothly shift to the next paragraph.
• Topic sentence: Present the main idea of this paragraph.
• Supporting evidence/example 3: Offer additional support for your thesis.
• Analysis: Show how this backs up your main argument.
• Transition: Sum up and signal the conclusion of the body section.
• Thesis reiteration: Revisit your main argument accounting for the evidence provided.
• Summary: Briefly go over the main points of your body paragraphs.
• Final thoughts: Leave the reader with a parting thought or question to ponder.
• What’s your topic? Do you need to choose one yourself?
• What  essay type  do you need to write – argumentative , expository or informative essay ?
• What’s your primary goal – persuade, analyze, descibe or inform?
• How long should an essay be ? Is there any specific word count?
• Topic sentence  
• Detailed explanation
• Supporting evidence from credible sources
• Further exploration of examples
• Transition.
• Be clear and concise Avoid fluff and filler. Every sentence should contribute to your argument or topic.
• Keep paragraphs focused Each paragraph should be dedicated to an individual point or idea.
• Use strong evidence To support your points, use solid evidence. This could be statistics, research findings, or relevant quotes from experts.
• Use active voice Active voice makes writing direct and dynamic. It puts the subject of the sentence in the driver's seat, leading the action.
• Avoid first-person pronouns To maintain a formal, academic tone, try to avoid first-person pronouns (I, me, my, we, our). First-person pronouns are acceptable only when writing a narrative essay , personal statement or college application essay .

What Is a 5-Paragraph Essay: Definition

5-paragraph essay structure , 5-paragraph essay outline & template example , how to write a 5-paragraph essay outline , how to write a 5 paragraph essay step-by-step, 1. understand the task at hand , 2. research and take notes , 3. develop your thesis statement, 4. make an outline , 5. write an introduction paragraph , 6. create a body part , 7. write a concluding paragraph , 8. review and revise, 5 paragraph essay example, extra 5-paragraph writing tips , final thoughts on how to write a five paragraph essay .

A staggering report by the World Health Organization reveals that poor diet contributes to more disease than physical inactivity, alcohol, and smoking combined. In our fast-paced world, convenience often trumps health when it comes to food choices. With an alarming rise in obesity and diet-related illnesses, a closer look at our eating habits is more critical than ever. For this reason, adopting a healthy diet is essential for individual health, disease prevention, and overall wellbeing.

Regular exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

First and foremost, a healthy diet plays a pivotal role in maintaining individual health and vitality. A balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, provides the essential nutrients our bodies need to function effectively. A research study by the American Heart Association found that individuals who adhered to a healthy eating pattern had a 25% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This data emphasizes that a proper diet is not just about staying in shape. It directly affects critical health outcomes, impacting our susceptibility to serious health conditions like heart disease. While the implications of diet on personal health are substantial, the preventative power of healthy eating against disease is equally noteworthy, as we shall explore next.

As was outlined in this essay, a balanced diet isn't just a lifestyle choice, but an essential tool for maintaining individual health, preventing disease, and promoting overall wellbeing. Healthy eating directly affects our personal health, its power in disease prevention, and how it contributes to a sense of wellness. What we consume profoundly impacts our lives. Therefore, a commitment to healthy eating isn't merely an act of self-care; it's a potent declaration of respect for the life we've been given.

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To "What Extent" Essay Writing

In the realm of academic writing, 'To What Extent' essays pose a unique challenge, requiring a sophisticated examination of diverse perspectives and evidence. Whether addressing IELTS prompts or academic assignments, mastering this writing format is essential for developing comprehensive arguments that thoroughly explore the intricacies of different subjects.

Notably, in the IELTS exam, discussion questions are a common task that often determines a substantial portion of the writing score. Test-takers must critically evaluate multiple viewpoints and construct well-reasoned conclusions. Let’s explore the nuances of crafting effective " To What Degree" papers, the outlined structure, and essay plan examples.

What is a "To What Extent" Essay?

A "To What Degree" writing prompt requires the writer to assess the degree to which a given claim is true. It entails a balanced evaluation, supported by critical analysis, data, and evidence, to determine the extent of agreement or disagreement. These academic tasks often require students to engage critically with a topic’s nuances, demonstrating their ability to evaluate information and articulate reasoned judgments.

Puzzled about how to write your discussion essay? Discover how our AI essay generator can streamline your writing process, from generating ideas to refining grammar and suggesting citations.

To What Extent Essay Structure Explained

Knowing the intricacies of a discussion essay structure is pivotal for effectively presenting robust arguments and insightful analysis. A well-crafted 'To What Extent' prompt generally comprises:

• Introduction : Restate the ‘do you agree’ question to demonstrate synonym usage, introduce your main claim succinctly, and outline your approach clearly.
• Main Body : Construct your key arguments in two distinct paragraphs. Commence each section with a concise topic sentence. Provide comprehensive explanations and substantiate your key points with essay plan examples.
• In the first body part, briefly state your viewpoint and support it with an example that reinforces your central argument.
• In the second one, repeat the format to explore another aspect of the central idea, backing it up with an appropriate example.
• Counterarguments : Acknowledge other viewpoints that differ in a dedicated section. Refute the opposing points with coherent arguments and indications to reinforce your thesis.
• Conclusion : Recap your main idea, encapsulate findings and key points without introducing new concepts, and offer a concluding insight that emphasizes the relevance and depth of your evaluation.

Overall, understanding the "To What Extent" essay structure – with its clear introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, balanced counterarguments, and comprehensive conclusion – enables writers to effectively explore complex topics and present nuanced arguments.

Examples of Common "To What Extent" Topics

Writing "To What Degree" prompts in IELTS involves evaluating different perspectives on a selected topic and making a judgment about the extent to which a statement or idea is true. See some examples of common discussion paper topics:

• To What Extent Has Technology Improved Education?
• To What Degree Does Globalization Affect Cultural Identity?
• To What Extent Has Climate Change Impacted Global Agriculture?
• To What Degree Does Economic Inequality Influence Social Mobility?

To answer such questions, start with articulating a clear stance indicating the degree to which you believe the statement is true, followed by balanced arguments supporting both sides. Use relevant evidence in body sections to support your core points, and end the paper by reaffirming your central point and underlining your key arguments.

Here's how to discuss in an essay focused on discourse and approach these formats effectively:

To What Extent Has Social Media Affected Mental Health Among Teenagers?

Evaluate both the positive and negative impacts of social networks on teenagers' psychological well-being.

Explanation: When evaluating social media’s impact on youth, consider both its positive role in connectivity and its negative influence on their mental health.

• Intro:  Paraphrase the question and introduce your thesis, indicating the extent of social media's influence.
• Body Paragraphs:  Examine both perspectives with convincing evidence.
• Positive Impacts:  Highlight connections and platforms for self-expression.
• Example:  Social networks offer support and a sense of community.
• Negative Impacts:  Discuss increased cyberbullying and psychological well-being issues like anxiety and depression.
• Example:  This leads to cyberbullying, comparison culture, and reduced face-to-face interactions.
• Evidence and Analysis:  Support with expert views, relevant data, and studies.
• Counterarguments:  Acknowledge differing viewpoints and discuss the limitations of studies.
• Conclusion:  Summarize central points, paraphrase your stance, and suggest further research or a call to action.

When learning how to answer 'To What Extent' questions, remember to balance your discussion, provide relevant examples, and maintain a coherent structure throughout your writing. This method ensures a comprehensive examination of the subject, ultimately leading to a well-rounded argument that effectively addresses the given assignment.

Expressions to Use in an Essay

In writing prompts assessing 'To What Degree,' the language used plays a paramount role in conveying nuanced agreement or disagreement with a given concept. Rather than merely stating agreement or disagreement with a viewpoint, employ directive language to guide readers toward your viewpoint, bolstered by statistics, explanations, or direct quotations.

• For example, crafting a persuasive topic sentence such as "Based on recent studies showing how A negatively impacts B, I argue that current discussions overlook crucial factors…" ensures clarity and conviction.
• Using expressions like "to a significant degree" or "to a limited extent" requires substantiation with concrete evidence or illustrative examples. Similarly, expressing slight agreement ("to a minor extent") demands credible sources or logical analysis. 

Linking your points to robust evidence and adopting an academic style enhances persuasiveness and coherence in your writing. To effectively navigate 'To What Extent' writing, employing precise language is essential:

• Consequently : Indicates logical consequences or outcomes.
• Furthermore: Adds additional supporting evidence or points.
• Nevertheless: Introduces a contrasting viewpoint or concession.
• Moreover: Emphasizes additional supporting points.
• However: Introduces a contrasting perspective or limitation.
• Additionally: Adds further supporting evidence or arguments.
• Therefore: Indicates a rational conclusion or consequence.

In essence, mastering the art of employing precise language in discussion essays is crucial for effectively conveying nuanced perspectives and substantiating arguments with clarity and conviction.

Start by Choosing Your Stance

Navigating a 'To What Extent' prompt requires a systematic approach to effectively analyze complex assertions. These papers demand a comprehensive investigation of viewpoints and evidence to construct well-rounded arguments. 

Such a task involves strategic steps:

• Identify the Assertion: Begin by clearly defining the specific and contentious statement you are gauging.
• Assess Supporting Evidence: Collect pertinent data and expert views to bolster your stance.
• Develop Your Thesis: Present a straightforward main concept that outlines your standpoint and the extent of your analysis.
• Consider Counterarguments: Take into account and rebut opposing perspectives to enhance the trustworthiness of your viewpoint.
• Provide Comprehensive Analysis: Offer a nuanced evaluation of the claim by examining multiple facets and views.

In brief, perfecting the 'To What Extent' essay structure involves navigating diverse perspectives and evidence by addressing the assertion, evaluating data, and considering counterarguments for a balanced analysis."

To recap, understanding the intricacies of 'To What Degree' essays involves acknowledging the contextual relevance of the evidence and upholding a balanced perspective. Integrating real-world examples and current research enhances the effectiveness, significance, and credibility of your point of view. This showcases a thorough comprehension of the subject and its practical implications.

Mastering discussion prompts requires meticulous planning, analytical depth, and effective use of language. By employing a structured approach and insightful analysis, you can navigate these tasks with confidence, fostering critical thinking and effective essay-writing skills crucial for success in academics and beyond.

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