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Ultimate guide to writing a five paragraph essay.

Are you struggling with writing essays? Do you find yourself lost in a sea of ideas, unable to structure your thoughts cohesively? The five paragraph essay is a tried-and-true method that can guide you through the writing process with ease. By mastering this format, you can unlock the key to successful and organized writing.

In this article, we will break down the five paragraph essay into easy steps that anyone can follow. From crafting a strong thesis statement to effectively supporting your arguments, we will cover all the essential components of a well-written essay. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned writer, these tips will help you hone your skills and express your ideas clearly.

Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering the Five Paragraph Essay

Writing a successful five paragraph essay can seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach and strategies, it can become much more manageable. Follow these steps to master the art of writing a powerful five paragraph essay:

• Understand the structure: The five paragraph essay consists of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph serves a specific purpose in conveying your message effectively.
• Brainstorm and plan: Before you start writing, take the time to brainstorm ideas and create an outline. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that your essay flows smoothly.
• Write the introduction: Start your essay with a strong hook to grab the reader’s attention. Your introduction should also include a thesis statement, which is the main argument of your essay.
• Develop the body paragraphs: Each body paragraph should focus on a single point that supports your thesis. Use evidence, examples, and analysis to strengthen your argument and make your points clear.
• Conclude effectively: In your conclusion, summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a new way. Leave the reader with a thought-provoking statement or a call to action.

By following these steps and practicing regularly, you can become proficient in writing five paragraph essays that are clear, coherent, and impactful. Remember to revise and edit your work for grammar, punctuation, and clarity to ensure that your essay is polished and professional.

Understanding the Structure of a Five Paragraph Essay

When writing a five paragraph essay, it is important to understand the basic structure that makes up this type of essay. The five paragraph essay consists of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Introduction: The introduction is the first paragraph of the essay and sets the tone for the rest of the piece. It should include a hook to grab the reader’s attention, a thesis statement that presents the main idea of the essay, and a brief overview of what will be discussed in the body paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs: The body paragraphs make up the core of the essay and each paragraph should focus on a single point that supports the thesis statement. These paragraphs should include a topic sentence that introduces the main idea, supporting details or evidence, and explanations or analysis of how the evidence supports the thesis.

Conclusion: The conclusion is the final paragraph of the essay and it should summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs. It should restate the thesis in different words, and provide a closing thought or reflection on the topic.

By understanding the structure of a five paragraph essay, writers can effectively organize their thoughts and present their ideas in a clear and coherent manner.

Choosing a Strong Thesis Statement

One of the most critical elements of a successful five-paragraph essay is a strong thesis statement. Your thesis statement should clearly and concisely present the main argument or point you will be making in your essay. It serves as the foundation for the entire essay, guiding the reader on what to expect and helping you stay focused throughout your writing.

When choosing a thesis statement, it’s important to make sure it is specific, debatable, and relevant to your topic. Avoid vague statements or generalizations, as they will weaken your argument and fail to provide a clear direction for your essay. Instead, choose a thesis statement that is narrow enough to be effectively supported within the confines of a five-paragraph essay, but broad enough to allow for meaningful discussion.

By choosing a strong thesis statement, you set yourself up for a successful essay that is well-organized, coherent, and persuasive. Take the time to carefully craft your thesis statement, as it will serve as the guiding force behind your entire essay.

Developing Supporting Arguments in Body Paragraphs

When crafting the body paragraphs of your five paragraph essay, it is crucial to develop strong and coherent supporting arguments that back up your thesis statement. Each body paragraph should focus on a single supporting argument that contributes to the overall discussion of your topic.

To effectively develop your supporting arguments, consider using a table to organize your ideas. Start by listing your main argument in the left column, and then provide evidence, examples, and analysis in the right column. This structured approach can help you ensure that each supporting argument is fully developed and logically presented.

Additionally, be sure to use transitional phrases to smoothly connect your supporting arguments within and between paragraphs. Words like “furthermore,” “in addition,” and “on the other hand” can help readers follow your train of thought and understand the progression of your ideas.

Remember, the body paragraphs are where you provide the meat of your argument, so take the time to develop each supporting argument thoroughly and clearly. By presenting compelling evidence and analysis, you can effectively persuade your readers and strengthen the overall impact of your essay.

Polishing Your Writing: Editing and Proofreading Tips

Editing and proofreading are crucial steps in the writing process that can make a significant difference in the clarity and effectiveness of your essay. Here are some tips to help you polish your writing:

1. Take a break before editing: After you finish writing your essay, take a break before starting the editing process. This will help you approach your work with fresh eyes and catch mistakes more easily.

2. Read your essay aloud: Reading your essay aloud can help you identify awkward phrasing, grammar errors, and inconsistencies. This technique can also help you evaluate the flow and coherence of your writing.

3. Use a spelling and grammar checker: Utilize spelling and grammar checkers available in word processing software to catch common errors. However, be mindful that these tools may not catch all mistakes, so it’s essential to manually review your essay as well.

4. Check for coherence and organization: Make sure your ideas flow logically and cohesively throughout your essay. Ensure that each paragraph connects smoothly to the next, and that your arguments are supported by relevant evidence.

5. Look for consistency: Check for consistency in your writing style, tone, and formatting. Ensure that you maintain a consistent voice and perspective throughout your essay to keep your argument coherent.

6. Seek feedback from others: Consider asking a peer, teacher, or tutor to review your essay and provide feedback. External perspectives can help you identify blind spots and areas for improvement in your writing.

7. Proofread carefully: Finally, proofread your essay carefully to catch any remaining errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting. Pay attention to details and make any necessary revisions before submitting your final draft.

By following these editing and proofreading tips, you can refine your writing and ensure that your essay is polished and ready for submission.

Tips for Successful Writing: Practice and Feedback

Writing is a skill that improves with practice. The more you write, the better you will become. Set aside time each day to practice writing essays, paragraph by paragraph. This consistent practice will help you develop your writing skills and grow more confident in expressing your ideas.

Seek feedback from your teachers, peers, or mentors. Constructive criticism can help you identify areas for improvement and provide valuable insights into your writing. Take their suggestions into consideration and use them to refine your writing style and structure.

• Set writing goals for yourself and track your progress. Whether it’s completing a certain number of essays in a week or improving your introductions, having specific goals will keep you motivated and focused on your writing development.
• Read widely to expand your vocabulary and expose yourself to different writing styles. The more you read, the more you will learn about effective writing techniques and ways to engage your readers.
• Revise and edit your essays carefully. Pay attention to sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. A well-polished essay will demonstrate your attention to detail and dedication to producing high-quality work.

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1. The Introduction

2. a strong thesis statement, 3. topic sentence, 4. structuring the body paragraphs, 5. the conclusion, how to write a 4-paragraph essay.

Used at all levels of education, the four paragraph essay offers a basic format that enables writers to present information in a concise manner. A four paragraph essay is an acceptable format for many types of essays, including cause and effect and compare and contrast essays. The four-paragraph essay consists of an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. Each paragraph in the essay requires specific information in order for readers to follow a logical flow of information.

The four-paragraph essay consists of an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion.

Begin this paragraph with a “hook” that will make readers interested in your essay.

The University of Maryland University College recommends using:

• a surprising statement or statistic,
• personal story
• or rhetorical question.

Avoid the overused and unoriginal dictionary definition opening. After the opener, provide background information on the topic, which should tell readers the purpose of the essay, as well as what they should expect to read.

A thesis statement provides readers with a condensed version of the analysis or argument that you will discuss in the essay. These are typically one or two sentences, and are located at the end of the introduction paragraph.

A strong thesis statement avoids vague language and is specific and argumentative.

• The topic sentence announces the main focus of the paragraph by stating one of the arguments identified in the thesis statement.
• Provide supporting sentences that offer evidence for your claim.
• End the paragraph with your own observation or analysis.

Your body paragraphs should consist of a clear topic sentence, quotes, and explanations of the supporting evidence you have found. This is where you have the chance to prove your thesis to your reader. In order to do this, you must have strong evidence that supports the claim you are trying to make.

• Rephrase your thesis statement in the concluding paragraph, stating how it has been proven throughout the body paragraphs.
• The conclusion should have a summary of the essay’s main arguments and an explanation on how they are connected.
• Lastly, explain why the topic of your essay is important and why it should matter to the readers.
• University of Maryland University College: Introductions; 2010
• Indiana University: Thesis Statement; Jan. 2008
• University of Maryland University College: Conclusion

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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 528,684 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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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.

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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 " do my paper for me ." 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.

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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.

• Practice in Making a Simple Outline for a Cause & Effect Paragraph
• Write an Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence for an Essay
• An Essay Revision Checklist
• Examples of Great Introductory Paragraphs
• Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing
• How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech (With Topic Ideas)
• What Is Expository Writing?
• Practice in Supporting a Topic Sentence with Specific Details
• Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay
• 100 Persuasive Essay Topics
• Writing an Opinion Essay
• How to Write a Good Thesis Statement
• 501 Topic Suggestions for Writing Essays and Speeches
• Venn Diagrams to Plan Essays and More
• Write a Compare and Contrast Essay
• Writing a Descriptive Essay

What this handout is about

This handout will help you understand how paragraphs are formed, how to develop stronger paragraphs, and how to completely and clearly express your ideas.

What is a paragraph?

Paragraphs are the building blocks of papers. Many students define paragraphs in terms of length: a paragraph is a group of at least five sentences, a paragraph is half a page long, etc. In reality, though, the unity and coherence of ideas among sentences is what constitutes a paragraph. A paragraph is defined as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit” (Lunsford and Connors 116). Length and appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. For instance, in some styles of writing, particularly journalistic styles, a paragraph can be just one sentence long. Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer to this as the “controlling idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph.

How do I decide what to put in a paragraph?

Before you can begin to determine what the composition of a particular paragraph will be, you must first decide on an argument and a working thesis statement for your paper. What is the most important idea that you are trying to convey to your reader? The information in each paragraph must be related to that idea. In other words, your paragraphs should remind your reader that there is a recurrent relationship between your thesis and the information in each paragraph. A working thesis functions like a seed from which your paper, and your ideas, will grow. The whole process is an organic one—a natural progression from a seed to a full-blown paper where there are direct, familial relationships between all of the ideas in the paper.

The decision about what to put into your paragraphs begins with the germination of a seed of ideas; this “germination process” is better known as brainstorming . There are many techniques for brainstorming; whichever one you choose, this stage of paragraph development cannot be skipped. Building paragraphs can be like building a skyscraper: there must be a well-planned foundation that supports what you are building. Any cracks, inconsistencies, or other corruptions of the foundation can cause your whole paper to crumble.

So, let’s suppose that you have done some brainstorming to develop your thesis. What else should you keep in mind as you begin to create paragraphs? Every paragraph in a paper should be :

• Unified : All of the sentences in a single paragraph should be related to a single controlling idea (often expressed in the topic sentence of the paragraph).
• Clearly related to the thesis : The sentences should all refer to the central idea, or thesis, of the paper (Rosen and Behrens 119).
• Coherent : The sentences should be arranged in a logical manner and should follow a definite plan for development (Rosen and Behrens 119).
• Well-developed : Every idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately explained and supported through evidence and details that work together to explain the paragraph’s controlling idea (Rosen and Behrens 119).

How do I organize a paragraph?

There are many different ways to organize a paragraph. The organization you choose will depend on the controlling idea of the paragraph. Below are a few possibilities for organization, with links to brief examples:

• Narration : Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish. ( See an example. )
• Description : Provide specific details about what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like. Organize spatially, in order of appearance, or by topic. ( See an example. )
• Process : Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a sequence—first, second, third. ( See an example. )
• Classification : Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic. ( See an example. )
• Illustration : Give examples and explain how those examples support your point. (See an example in the 5-step process below.)

Illustration paragraph: a 5-step example

From the list above, let’s choose “illustration” as our rhetorical purpose. We’ll walk through a 5-step process for building a paragraph that illustrates a point in an argument. For each step there is an explanation and example. Our example paragraph will be about human misconceptions of piranhas.

Step 1. Decide on a controlling idea and create a topic sentence

Paragraph development begins with the formulation of the controlling idea. This idea directs the paragraph’s development. Often, the controlling idea of a paragraph will appear in the form of a topic sentence. In some cases, you may need more than one sentence to express a paragraph’s controlling idea.

Controlling idea and topic sentence — Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans.

Step 2. Elaborate on the controlling idea

Paragraph development continues with an elaboration on the controlling idea, perhaps with an explanation, implication, or statement about significance. Our example offers a possible explanation for the pervasiveness of the myth.

Elaboration — This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media.

Step 3. Give an example (or multiple examples)

Paragraph development progresses with an example (or more) that illustrates the claims made in the previous sentences.

Example — For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman.

Step 4. Explain the example(s)

The next movement in paragraph development is an explanation of each example and its relevance to the topic sentence. The explanation should demonstrate the value of the example as evidence to support the major claim, or focus, in your paragraph.

Continue the pattern of giving examples and explaining them until all points/examples that the writer deems necessary have been made and explained. NONE of your examples should be left unexplained. You might be able to explain the relationship between the example and the topic sentence in the same sentence which introduced the example. More often, however, you will need to explain that relationship in a separate sentence.

Explanation for example — Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear.

Notice that the example and explanation steps of this 5-step process (steps 3 and 4) can be repeated as needed. The idea is that you continue to use this pattern until you have completely developed the main idea of the paragraph.

Step 5. Complete the paragraph’s idea or transition into the next paragraph

The final movement in paragraph development involves tying up the loose ends of the paragraph. At this point, you can remind your reader about the relevance of the information to the larger paper, or you can make a concluding point for this example. You might, however, simply transition to the next paragraph.

Sentences for completing a paragraph — While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief.

Finished paragraph

Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans. This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media. For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman. Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear. While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief.

Troubleshooting paragraphs

Problem: the paragraph has no topic sentence.

Imagine each paragraph as a sandwich. The real content of the sandwich—the meat or other filling—is in the middle. It includes all the evidence you need to make the point. But it gets kind of messy to eat a sandwich without any bread. Your readers don’t know what to do with all the evidence you’ve given them. So, the top slice of bread (the first sentence of the paragraph) explains the topic (or controlling idea) of the paragraph. And, the bottom slice (the last sentence of the paragraph) tells the reader how the paragraph relates to the broader argument. In the original and revised paragraphs below, notice how a topic sentence expressing the controlling idea tells the reader the point of all the evidence.

Original paragraph

Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Revised paragraph

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Once you have mastered the use of topic sentences, you may decide that the topic sentence for a particular paragraph really shouldn’t be the first sentence of the paragraph. This is fine—the topic sentence can actually go at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph; what’s important is that it is in there somewhere so that readers know what the main idea of the paragraph is and how it relates back to the thesis of your paper. Suppose that we wanted to start the piranha paragraph with a transition sentence—something that reminds the reader of what happened in the previous paragraph—rather than with the topic sentence. Let’s suppose that the previous paragraph was about all kinds of animals that people are afraid of, like sharks, snakes, and spiders. Our paragraph might look like this (the topic sentence is bold):

Like sharks, snakes, and spiders, piranhas are widely feared. Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless . Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Problem: the paragraph has more than one controlling idea

If a paragraph has more than one main idea, consider eliminating sentences that relate to the second idea, or split the paragraph into two or more paragraphs, each with only one main idea. Watch our short video on reverse outlining to learn a quick way to test whether your paragraphs are unified. In the following paragraph, the final two sentences branch off into a different topic; so, the revised paragraph eliminates them and concludes with a sentence that reminds the reader of the paragraph’s main idea.

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. A number of South American groups eat piranhas. They fry or grill the fish and then serve them with coconut milk or tucupi, a sauce made from fermented manioc juices.

Problem: transitions are needed within the paragraph

You are probably familiar with the idea that transitions may be needed between paragraphs or sections in a paper (see our handout on transitions ). Sometimes they are also helpful within the body of a single paragraph. Within a paragraph, transitions are often single words or short phrases that help to establish relationships between ideas and to create a logical progression of those ideas in a paragraph. This is especially likely to be true within paragraphs that discuss multiple examples. Let’s take a look at a version of our piranha paragraph that uses transitions to orient the reader:

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, except in two main situations, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ instinct is to flee, not attack. But there are two situations in which a piranha bite is likely. The first is when a frightened piranha is lifted out of the water—for example, if it has been caught in a fishing net. The second is when the water level in pools where piranhas are living falls too low. A large number of fish may be trapped in a single pool, and if they are hungry, they may attack anything that enters the water.

In this example, you can see how the phrases “the first” and “the second” help the reader follow the organization of the ideas in the paragraph.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Lunsford, Andrea. 2008. The St. Martin’s Handbook: Annotated Instructor’s Edition , 6th ed. New York: St. Martin’s.

Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

How do you structure a paragraph in an essay?

If you’re like the majority of my students, you might be getting your basic essay paragraph structure wrong and getting lower grades than you could!

In this article, I outline the 11 key steps to writing a perfect paragraph. But, this isn’t your normal ‘how to write an essay’ article. Rather, I’ll try to give you some insight into exactly what teachers look out for when they’re grading essays and figuring out what grade to give them.

You can navigate each issue below, or scroll down to read them all:

1. Paragraphs must be at least four sentences long 2. But, at most seven sentences long 3. Your paragraph must be Left-Aligned 4. You need a topic sentence 5 . Next, you need an explanation sentence 6. You need to include an example 7. You need to include citations 8. All paragraphs need to be relevant to the marking criteria 9. Only include one key idea per paragraph 10. Keep sentences short 11. Keep quotes short

Paragraph structure is one of the most important elements of getting essay writing right .

As I cover in my Ultimate Guide to Writing an Essay Plan , paragraphs are the heart and soul of your essay.

However, I find most of my students have either:

• forgotten how to write paragraphs properly,
• gotten lazy, or
• never learned it in the first place!

Paragraphs in essay writing are different from paragraphs in other written genres .

In fact, the paragraphs that you are reading now would not help your grades in an essay.

That’s because I’m writing in journalistic style, where paragraph conventions are vastly different.

For those of you coming from journalism or creative writing, you might find you need to re-learn paragraph writing if you want to write well-structured essay paragraphs to get top grades.

Below are eleven reasons your paragraphs are losing marks, and what to do about it!

Essay Paragraph Structure Rules

1. your paragraphs must be at least 4 sentences long.

In journalism and blog writing, a one-sentence paragraph is great. It’s short, to-the-point, and helps guide your reader. For essay paragraph structure, one-sentence paragraphs suck.

A one-sentence essay paragraph sends an instant signal to your teacher that you don’t have much to say on an issue.

A short paragraph signifies that you know something – but not much about it. A one-sentence paragraph lacks detail, depth and insight.

Many students come to me and ask, “what does ‘add depth’ mean?” It’s one of the most common pieces of feedback you’ll see written on the margins of your essay.

Personally, I think ‘add depth’ is bad feedback because it’s a short and vague comment. But, here’s what it means: You’ve not explained your point enough!

If you’re writing one-, two- or three-sentence essay paragraphs, you’re costing yourself marks.

Always aim for at least four sentences per paragraph in your essays.

This doesn’t mean that you should add ‘fluff’ or ‘padding’ sentences.

Make sure you don’t:

a) repeat what you said in different words, or b) write something just because you need another sentence in there.

But, you need to do some research and find something insightful to add to that two-sentence paragraph if you want to ace your essay.

Check out Points 5 and 6 for some advice on what to add to that short paragraph to add ‘depth’ to your paragraph and start moving to the top of the class.

• How to Make an Essay Longer
• How to Make an Essay Shorter

2. Your Paragraphs must not be more than 7 Sentences Long

Okay, so I just told you to aim for at least four sentences per paragraph. So, what’s the longest your paragraph should be?

Seven sentences. That’s a maximum.

So, here’s the rule:

Between four and seven sentences is the sweet spot that you need to aim for in every single paragraph.

Here’s why your paragraphs shouldn’t be longer than seven sentences:

1. It shows you can organize your thoughts. You need to show your teacher that you’ve broken up your key ideas into manageable segments of text (see point 10)

2. It makes your work easier to read.   You need your writing to be easily readable to make it easy for your teacher to give you good grades. Make your essay easy to read and you’ll get higher marks every time.

One of the most important ways you can make your work easier to read is by writing paragraphs that are less than six sentences long.

3. It prevents teacher frustration. Teachers are just like you. When they see a big block of text their eyes glaze over. They get frustrated, lost, their mind wanders … and you lose marks.

To prevent teacher frustration, you need to ensure there’s plenty of white space in your essay. It’s about showing them that the piece is clearly structured into one key idea per ‘chunk’ of text.

Often, you might find that your writing contains tautologies and other turns of phrase that can be shortened for clarity.

3. Your Paragraph must be Left-Aligned

Turn off ‘Justified’ text and: Never. Turn. It. On. Again.

Justified text is where the words are stretched out to make the paragraph look like a square. It turns the writing into a block. Don’t do it. You will lose marks, I promise you! Win the psychological game with your teacher: left-align your text.

A good essay paragraph is never ‘justified’.

I’m going to repeat this, because it’s important: to prevent your essay from looking like a big block of muddy, hard-to-read text align your text to the left margin only.

You want white space on your page – and lots of it. White space helps your reader scan through your work. It also prevents it from looking like big blocks of text.

You want your reader reading vertically as much as possible: scanning, browsing, and quickly looking through for evidence you’ve engaged with the big ideas.

The justified text doesn’t help you do that. Justified text makes your writing look like a big, lumpy block of text that your reader doesn’t want to read.

What’s wrong with Center-Aligned Text?

While I’m at it, never, ever, center-align your text either. Center-aligned text is impossible to skim-read. Your teacher wants to be able to quickly scan down the left margin to get the headline information in your paragraph.

Not many people center-align text, but it’s worth repeating: never, ever center-align your essays.

Don’t annoy your reader. Left align your text.

4. Your paragraphs must have a Topic Sentence

The first sentence of an essay paragraph is called the topic sentence. This is one of the most important sentences in the correct essay paragraph structure style.

The topic sentence should convey exactly what key idea you’re going to cover in your paragraph.

Too often, students don’t let their reader know what the key idea of the paragraph is until several sentences in.

You must show what the paragraph is about in the first sentence.

You never, ever want to keep your reader in suspense. Essays are not like creative writing. Tell them straight away what the paragraph is about. In fact, if you can, do it in the first half of the first sentence .

I’ll remind you again: make it easy to grade your work. Your teacher is reading through your work trying to determine what grade to give you. They’re probably going to mark 20 assignments in one sitting. They have no interest in storytelling or creativity. They just want to know how much you know! State what the paragraph is about immediately and move on.

Suggested: Best Words to Start a Paragraph

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing a Topic Sentence If your paragraph is about how climate change is endangering polar bears, say it immediately : “Climate change is endangering polar bears.” should be your first sentence in your paragraph. Take a look at first sentence of each of the four paragraphs above this one. You can see from the first sentence of each paragraph that the paragraphs discuss:

When editing your work, read each paragraph and try to distil what the one key idea is in your paragraph. Ensure that this key idea is mentioned in the first sentence .

(Note: if there’s more than one key idea in the paragraph, you may have a problem. See Point 9 below .)

The topic sentence is the most important sentence for getting your essay paragraph structure right. So, get your topic sentences right and you’re on the right track to a good essay paragraph.

5. You need an Explanation Sentence

All topic sentences need a follow-up explanation. The very first point on this page was that too often students write paragraphs that are too short. To add what is called ‘depth’ to a paragraph, you can come up with two types of follow-up sentences: explanations and examples.

Let’s take explanation sentences first.

Explanation sentences give additional detail. They often provide one of the following services:

Let’s go back to our example of a paragraph on Climate change endangering polar bears. If your topic sentence is “Climate change is endangering polar bears.”, then your follow-up explanation sentence is likely to explain how, why, where, or when. You could say:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing Explanation Sentences 1. How: “The warming atmosphere is melting the polar ice caps.” 2. Why: “The polar bears’ habitats are shrinking every single year.” 3. Where: “This is happening in the Antarctic ice caps near Greenland.” 4. When: “Scientists first noticed the ice caps were shrinking in 1978.”

You don’t have to provide all four of these options each time.

But, if you’re struggling to think of what to add to your paragraph to add depth, consider one of these four options for a good quality explanation sentence.

>>>RELATED ARTICLE: SHOULD YOU USE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS IN ESSAYS ?

6. Your need to Include an Example

Examples matter! They add detail. They also help to show that you genuinely understand the issue. They show that you don’t just understand a concept in the abstract; you also understand how things work in real life.

Example sentences have the added benefit of personalising an issue. For example, after saying “Polar bears’ habitats are shrinking”, you could note specific habitats, facts and figures, or even a specific story about a bear who was impacted.

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing an ‘Example’ Sentence “For example, 770,000 square miles of Arctic Sea Ice has melted in the past four decades, leading Polar Bear populations to dwindle ( National Geographic, 2018 )

In fact, one of the most effective politicians of our times – Barrack Obama – was an expert at this technique. He would often provide examples of people who got sick because they didn’t have healthcare to sell Obamacare.

What effect did this have? It showed the real-world impact of his ideas. It humanised him, and got him elected president – twice!

Be like Obama. Provide examples. Often.

7. All Paragraphs need Citations

Provide a reference to an academic source in every single body paragraph in the essay. The only two paragraphs where you don’t need a reference is the introduction and conclusion .

Let me repeat: Paragraphs need at least one reference to a quality scholarly source .

Let me go even further:

Students who get the best marks provide two references to two different academic sources in every paragraph.

Two references in a paragraph show you’ve read widely, cross-checked your sources, and given the paragraph real thought.

It’s really important that these references link to academic sources, not random websites, blogs or YouTube videos. Check out our Seven Best types of Sources to Cite in Essays post to get advice on what sources to cite. Number 6 w ill surprise you!

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: In-Text Referencing in Paragraphs Usually, in-text referencing takes the format: (Author, YEAR), but check your school’s referencing formatting requirements carefully. The ‘Author’ section is the author’s last name only. Not their initials. Not their first name. Just their last name . My name is Chris Drew. First name Chris, last name Drew. If you were going to reference an academic article I wrote in 2019, you would reference it like this: (Drew, 2019).

Where do you place those two references?

Place the first reference at the end of the first half of the paragraph. Place the second reference at the end of the second half of the paragraph.

This spreads the references out and makes it look like all the points throughout the paragraph are backed up by your sources. The goal is to make it look like you’ve reference regularly when your teacher scans through your work.

Remember, teachers can look out for signposts that indicate you’ve followed academic conventions and mentioned the right key ideas.

Spreading your referencing through the paragraph helps to make it look like you’ve followed the academic convention of referencing sources regularly.

Here are some examples of how to reference twice in a paragraph:

• If your paragraph was six sentences long, you would place your first reference at the end of the third sentence and your second reference at the end of the sixth sentence.
• If your paragraph was five sentences long, I would recommend placing one at the end of the second sentence and one at the end of the fifth sentence.

You’ve just read one of the key secrets to winning top marks.

8. Every Paragraph must be relevant to the Marking Criteria

Every paragraph must win you marks. When you’re editing your work, check through the piece to see if every paragraph is relevant to the marking criteria.

For the British: In the British university system (I’m including Australia and New Zealand here – I’ve taught at universities in all three countries), you’ll usually have a ‘marking criteria’. It’s usually a list of between two and six key learning outcomes your teacher needs to use to come up with your score. Sometimes it’s called a:

• Marking criteria
• Marking rubric
• (Key) learning outcome
• Indicative content

Check your assignment guidance to see if this is present. If so, use this list of learning outcomes to guide what you write. If your paragraphs are irrelevant to these key points, delete the paragraph .

Paragraphs that don’t link to the marking criteria are pointless. They won’t win you marks.

For the Americans: If you don’t have a marking criteria / rubric / outcomes list, you’ll need to stick closely to the essay question or topic. This goes out to those of you in the North American system. North America (including USA and Canada here) is often less structured and the professor might just give you a topic to base your essay on.

If all you’ve got is the essay question / topic, go through each paragraph and make sure each paragraph is relevant to the topic.

For example, if your essay question / topic is on “The Effects of Climate Change on Polar Bears”,

• Don’t talk about anything that doesn’t have some connection to climate change and polar bears;
• Don’t talk about the environmental impact of oil spills in the Gulf of Carpentaria;
• Don’t talk about black bear habitats in British Columbia.
• Do talk about the effects of climate change on polar bears (and relevant related topics) in every single paragraph .

You may think ‘stay relevant’ is obvious advice, but at least 20% of all essays I mark go off on tangents and waste words.

Stay on topic in Every. Single. Paragraph. If you want to learn more about how to stay on topic, check out our essay planning guide .

9. Only have one Key Idea per Paragraph

One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph.

Don’t forget!

Too often, a student starts a paragraph talking about one thing and ends it talking about something totally different. Don’t be that student.

To ensure you’re focussing on one key idea in your paragraph, make sure you know what that key idea is. It should be mentioned in your topic sentence (see Point 3 ). Every other sentence in the paragraph adds depth to that one key idea.

If you’ve got sentences in your paragraph that are not relevant to the key idea in the paragraph, they don’t fit. They belong in another paragraph.

Go through all your paragraphs when editing your work and check to see if you’ve veered away from your paragraph’s key idea. If so, you might have two or even three key ideas in the one paragraph.

You’re going to have to get those additional key ideas, rip them out, and give them paragraphs of their own.

If you have more than one key idea in a paragraph you will lose marks. I promise you that.

The paragraphs will be too hard to read, your reader will get bogged down reading rather than scanning, and you’ll have lost grades.

10. Keep Sentences Short

If a sentence is too long it gets confusing. When the sentence is confusing, your reader will stop reading your work. They will stop reading the paragraph and move to the next one. They’ll have given up on your paragraph.

Short, snappy sentences are best.

Shorter sentences are easier to read and they make more sense. Too often, students think they have to use big, long, academic words to get the best marks. Wrong. Aim for clarity in every sentence in the paragraph. Your teacher will thank you for it.

The students who get the best marks write clear, short sentences.

When editing your draft, go through your essay and see if you can shorten your longest five sentences.

(To learn more about how to write the best quality sentences, see our page on Seven ways to Write Amazing Sentences .)

11. Keep Quotes Short

Eighty percent of university teachers hate quotes. That’s not an official figure. It’s my guestimate based on my many interactions in faculty lounges. Twenty percent don’t mind them, but chances are your teacher is one of the eight out of ten who hate quotes.

Teachers tend to be turned off by quotes because it makes it look like you don’t know how to say something on your own words.

Now that I’ve warned you, here’s how to use quotes properly:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: How To Use Quotes in University-Level Essay Paragraphs 1. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 2. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 3. You should never start a sentence with a quote. 4. You should never end a paragraph with a quote. 5 . You should never use more than five quotes per essay. 6. Your quote should never be longer than one line in a paragraph.

The minute your teacher sees that your quote takes up a large chunk of your paragraph, you’ll have lost marks.

Your teacher will circle the quote, write a snarky comment in the margin, and not even bother to give you points for the key idea in the paragraph.

Avoid quotes, but if you really want to use them, follow those five rules above.

I’ve also provided additional pages outlining Seven tips on how to use Quotes if you want to delve deeper into how, when and where to use quotes in essays. Be warned: quoting in essays is harder than you thought.

Follow the advice above and you’ll be well on your way to getting top marks at university.

Writing essay paragraphs that are well structured takes time and practice. Don’t be too hard on yourself and keep on trying!

Below is a summary of our 11 key mistakes for structuring essay paragraphs and tips on how to avoid them.

I’ve also provided an easy-to-share infographic below that you can share on your favorite social networking site. Please share it if this article has helped you out!

11 Biggest Essay Paragraph Structure Mistakes you’re probably Making

1.  Your paragraphs are too short 2.  Your paragraphs are too long 3.  Your paragraph alignment is ‘Justified’ 4.  Your paragraphs are missing a topic sentence 5 .  Your paragraphs are missing an explanation sentence 6.  Your paragraphs are missing an example 7.  Your paragraphs are missing references 8.  Your paragraphs are not relevant to the marking criteria 9.  You’re trying to fit too many ideas into the one paragraph 10.  Your sentences are too long 11.  Your quotes are too long

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 20 Montessori Toddler Bedrooms (Design Inspiration)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Montessori Homeschool Setups
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples

4 thoughts on “11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)”

Hello there. I noticed that throughout this article on Essay Writing, you keep on saying that the teacher won’t have time to go through the entire essay. Don’t you think this is a bit discouraging that with all the hard work and time put into your writing, to know that the teacher will not read through the entire paper?

Hi Clarence,

Thanks so much for your comment! I love to hear from readers on their thoughts.

Yes, I agree that it’s incredibly disheartening.

But, I also think students would appreciate hearing the truth.

Behind closed doors many / most university teachers are very open about the fact they ‘only have time to skim-read papers’. They regularly bring this up during heated faculty meetings about contract negotiations! I.e. in one university I worked at, we were allocated 45 minutes per 10,000 words – that’s just over 4 minutes per 1,000 word essay, and that’d include writing the feedback, too!

If students know the truth, they can better write their essays in a way that will get across the key points even from a ‘skim-read’.

I hope to write candidly on this website – i.e. some of this info will never be written on university blogs because universities want to hide these unfortunate truths from students.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Regards, Chris

This is wonderful and helpful, all I say is thank you very much. Because I learned a lot from this site, own by chris thank you Sir.

Thank you. This helped a lot.

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How to write a 4 paragraph essay.

"How to Write a 4-Paragraph Essay" underscores the importance of well-structured paragraphs and topic sentences in effective writing. Addressing the question, "What does a paragraph look like?" a paragraph is defined as a coherent series of sentences, all centered around a single topic. These organized units of writing play a crucial role in guiding the reader through the subdivisions of an essay, helping them discern the essay's organization and comprehend its key points. Paragraphs can encompass diverse information, such as examples, illustrations, descriptions of places, characters, processes, narration of events, comparisons, contrasts, classifications, or discussions on causes and effects.

Despite the variety of content paragraphs can contain, they all share common characteristics, with one of the most crucial being the presence of a topic sentence. This sentence acts as the anchor, encapsulating the main idea of the paragraph and providing readers with a clear understanding of the upcoming content. In essence, paragraphs serve as building blocks in crafting well-organized and coherent essays, ensuring a seamless flow of information for the reader.

Essay Structure - A 4-Paragraph Sample

A 4 paragraph essay may take any form. It could be an argumentative essay, compare and contrast essays, review essays, and so much more. Most four paragraphed essays usually review essays. However, some may be just requiring you to give your point of view on a matter. Therefore, you need to learn how to write this kind of essay. This article will equip you with the basic skills you need to learn to write a great 4 paragraph essay. The most important thing you need to know is how to structure an essay.

The structure of a four paragraph essay is very important as it demonstrates well-thought ideas. In general, these essays take the same structure as any other essay. A well-structured essay has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction gives information on the background of the topic and introduces the thesis of the essay. The introduction is followed by the body.

It should be noted that there should be a proper transition between the introduction and the body. The body of the essay contains well thought and explained ideas to support the thesis effectively. For a four-paragraph essay, the introduction should take up one paragraph. The body should be two paragraphs. Finally, the conclusion should tie all the points with the thesis, hence giving the reader a satisfactory answer to the initial question.

We do understand just how daunting a task is writing those four paragraph essays for undergraduate and postgraduate could be - the sleepless nights of trying to find the right words, the anxiety of not having enough words or not knowing what to cut down, the fear of "What if my essay is not good enough?" We can relate to all those feelings. The exciting thing is that the entire team at our custom writing service doesn't find essay writing daunting, and it would be our absolute delight to help you with your essays.

Components of a five-paragraph essay

A proper essay has three main components. They are the introduction, body, and conclusion.

The introduction of an essay is different from that of a research paper. For a research paper, the introduction contains background information on the subject you are to cover on the body. It also includes the thesis statement of the paper. For the case of an essay, the introduction does not give any background information; instead, it is supposed to be brief and captivating. The introduction of an essay should compel the reader to read on. When writing the introduction, do not state the obvious, for example, "this essay is about" or "the essay's topic is." Instead, begin with statements that will grab the attention of the reader, for example, a quote, dialogue, a story, or even an informative statement.

The body consists of your main argument. This is, however, dependent on the purpose of your essay. However, make sure that the transition from the introduction to the body is smooth. At his point, you aim to convince and explain to the reader about your topic. To do this, you will need to have a list of points you want to discuss. Therefore, the body should consist of these points with a detailed explanation. To form a solid argument, you should start with the strongest points, followed by the least strong. Major points should be in separate paragraphs. It is essential to ensure that you have relevant and correct examples to support your points. This will play well for you when persuading the reader.

The conclusion of an essay brings closure to the topic and summarizes the main ideas of the essay. Remind the reader of your thesis statement and show some comments to back it up. You could also suggest ways to solving a particular problem if your essay topic was based on such a topic.

How to write better essays

1. Come up with a topic and a title

The main thing is to come up with an effective topic and a title. Firstly, you must understand the functions of a title which include: prediction of content, catching the reader's attention, it reflects the tone as far as the writing is concerned, and finally, it does contain keywords that are easily searchable

A good title takes time to develop since if you fail to come up with a proper title, then everything will fall as you proceed to establish your essay and you will realize you're losing track in your writing.

2. Choose the principal idea, or thesis, of your essay.

A thesis for an essay is quite important and plays a vital role as well since it ensures that the reader has an idea regarding the essay and the discussions that as concerned with the essay. A thesis statement will bring forth the ideas of the essays direct to the reader, and that is why a thesis statement should be strong and to the point. It shouldn't be complicated and always remember that coming up with a well-stated thesis statement does ensure that the topic is effective and this grasps the attention of the reader. A thesis statement determines the destiny of your essay, and it does portray the effort put in by the writer in coming up with the topic and the resulting outline of the essay.

3. Outline your essay into introductory, body and summary paragraphs:

Introductory Paragraph

• Hook : Most people think that writing is something that only those with a born talent can ever do well.

• Thesis : Proper writing takes practice

• Links to the main ideas to be developed in the essay: Relentless practice and not giving up gives rise to the art of writing.

1st Body Paragraph

• Main idea: Practice leads to proper writing skills

• Support : Writing without prior practice and experience + example

• The Conclusion

2nd Body Paragraph

• Main idea: Prior writing experience has changed how writers bring forth their ideas in writing.

• Support : Prior writing experience enables writers to be more experienced and therefore becoming more creative and at the same time avoiding spelling mistakes and other grammatical errors

• Support : Writing what you have experienced makes it easy to come up with different topics, and as a writer, you are comfortable to write literary about anything that comes your way.

3rd Body Paragraph

• Main idea: Writing experience has changed how writers spend their time writing.

• Support : Writers with the least experience tend to take more time coming up with a specific material, and this might affect the rate at which they develop specific content material or a specific type of writing which they have been assigned.

• Support : Proper writing experience ensures that a writer can write more articles and without anything being compromised for example the quality and the degree of creativeness.

The Concluding Paragraph

• Review of main ideas of each paragraph

• Restatement of thesis: Proper writing takes practice

• Concluding thought: Writing will continue to demand practice and self-motivation.

How to improve writing skills in English for students

1. You need to start on a high note by using a question and most specifically a rhetoric one. This is within the introductory paragraph and the interesting sentence is defined as the hook which tends to capture the attention of the reader.

2. Next you have to come up with the thesis statement. This is everything when it comes to shaping the destiny of your essay.

3. Proceed to introduce the body paragraphs which you will link straight from the introduction. This ensures that the whole essay is connected

4. As you proceed with the body paragraphs, ensure that the main point is stated in the start of the body paragraphs. Ensure you have used examples as illustrations to support the main idea in each paragraph

5. Introduce the summary paragraph which only restates the central ideas of the body paragraphs

6. The last sentence generally restates the thesis of the essay which as discussed earlier on, builds the foundation of the entire essay.

7. The final statement: This can predict anything discussed and backed up in the essay body paragraphs with proper illustrations. At this stage, avoid introducing any new ideas.

How to write a good essay in English quickly in 6 steps

1. Go through the instructions

Before getting to the researching step, ensure to read the instructions first where they are provided. You could come up with the best essay but end up scoring a low grade or end up having your essay rejected as a result of not adhering to specified instructions. Ensure that you stick to the word limit, writing style, or any other guidelines which might be provided. Also, make sure that you submit your essay within the specified time to avoid penalties.

2. Research your topic

The next step is to understand your topic. The topic will either be provided, or you'll have the freedom to choose it yourself. If the topic is provided, this simplifies the option of searching for a topic. However, if it is not offered, the task of coming up with a topic that you can build on is upon you. This could work to your advantage. You could work on choosing a topic that you know is interesting to you. Regardless of the circumstances, it is crucial to conduct critical research on whichever topic you have at hand.

A visit to the library and the internet will usually provide all the information you need to write the essay. Ensure that you use credible sources in your research analysis. Take short notes to use later and arrange them properly to help make your work easier. This is important since you might not be able to remember everything you read from all your sources.

3. Prepare an outline for your essay

By taking a look at the notes you have made, you will find that you already have an idea of how your essay will be structured. You can use the points as a guiding factor to help you arrange your thoughts and make an outline of the essay. For example, at the top of a page, write your topic, and list down the main points. Leave a gap between each point. You can list the other minor points which are related to the main points in the gaps you previously left behind.

This is also a way for you to come up with a rough draft of your essay. The rough draft is the right way for you to find out whether your ideas fully work together; if you find that they do, you can move on to the next step.

4. Come up with a thesis statement

Having chosen your topic and using your outlined and drafted points, you can come up with your thesis statement. This helps the reader understand what the whole point of your essay is. Your main points are the indicators of your essay's theme. They will act as a guide to the reader to help them understand where you're going with your essay and why.

5. Write your essay

Now that you have everything you need, it is time to write your essay. Do not get hung up on details like finding the perfect vocabulary; instead, focus on writing your essay. Having written an outline and possibly a draft writing the essay should not be an issue.

6. Proofread and Edit

Once you're done with your essay, please go through it from the beginning and check that all the words flow together effortlessly. Check that the main objectives of your essay have been fulfilled and that your essay has answered the main issue that was being addressed. An important step is also to check that you have adhered to the rules that were provided at the beginning of your essay. If not, you'll have to correct them.

The next step is to edit any grammatical or typographical errors that might be present. Go through the essay several times to ensure that all available mistakes are corrected and that everything is where it should be.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your writing is get started early. It may be difficult at first, but an early start can make a world of difference to that essay for class. If you need help, why not buy cheap essays on our service in an easy, fast, and secure way that will never sacrifice your privacy for convenience -it's never worth it.

How to structure 4 paragraph Academic book reviews.

While there are many reasons to write an academic 4 paragraph book review, getting a "publication" is not one of them. Academic 4 paragraph book reviews rank somewhere below publishing in a semi-obscure conference proceedings, and somewhere slightly above "vaguely laudatory service to the profession.”

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Writing a 4 paragraph book review: nine top tips and things to avoid

• Look at past 4 paragraph book reviews they've published about similar books. After you've read the book, look at reviews for the same book from other major sources. Think about who reads the publication and what they most want out of a 4 paragraph book review. Read a bunch of 4 paragraph book reviews, especially from the journal that's asking you. Then you can get a sense for what is typically included in reviews in general, and in ones that you find helpful. Do not to be overly-effusive with praise. You want to be critical.

• E.g., if it's mostly teaching faculty reading this journal/site, they will want a review to address: can this be used in the classroom? Could students read it?

• There's bound to be something about it you like, so talk about that. Use lots of adjectives. It doesn't have to be lengthy and doesn't spoil the plot.

• Again the point here is not “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say it.” The point is writing this kind of essay requires you engage with the arguments the author presents, and don’t just slam them. An academic 4 paragraph book review is not a yelp review.

• Be keen to avoid typos and errata

• Don’t write an academic review of a book that you can't find anything redeemable about.

A 4 paragraph book review is an essential evaluation of a written text or an object, and this covers all the aspects of books, literature material, among many other forms that can be intertwined at this level. Things you should know about a 4 paragraph book review include:

• A review provides the reader with a concise summary of the entire content. This contains descriptions that are based on the topic and also its general argument and perspective or even purpose.

• A review does offer an essential assessment of the written material. It points out what you, as the reader, you find to be worth noting, whether it is captivating, persuasive, and how it made you feel about the whole issue.

• A review overly suggests at the end of the material at hand can be appreciated by an audience. 

How to write a 4 paragraph book review that is due in ...

1.    First, read the book, and as you are reading, make a few notes about the points you want to get across, and these can be in the form of questions:

• What are the author’s purposes and views regarding this book? - This can clearly be stated in such a few words in the preface of the book or the introduction part.

• What form of evidence does the author use to fortify the points he or she has made? Ask yourself if the evidence is compelling- Do points fully get supported by what the author brings forward as hard evidence?

• How does the book correspond to other books with the same topic relate? - Does this book have some unique aspects? Does it add original and new information, and what group of readers will find this book to provide utility? 

• Has the book been written by a professional writer? Does the author have the skills needed to write readable material?

• Which is an ideal level by which the book can criticize the book? Did the author manage to be successful in relaying his ideas across to the reader and achieve the main purpose of writing the book?

2.    Try to imagine you are telling your friend a story regarding something which may be interesting or not. When you do this, then it becomes much easier since you do not have to follow so many rules, which indeed lead to confusion, and then you’re caught in between the writer’s block since you are afraid of doing the wrong thing. A 4 paragraph book review is simple, and you shouldn’t over think it. Just write as if you are telling your friend a book you read last night.

3.    It is indeed imperative as you are telling your friend about the book you read that you do not forget to mention the name of the author. Remember, the story is not yours, and you should give credit where it’s due. It does not take much effort; just a second or two, and you have grasped that point as your professor is grading your paper.

4.    Make specific points regarding what you are planning to write. This makes it a lot easier, and I do it all the time. Make seven points (an example), then per every point, write a paragraph. It’s clear to see that this is the simplest method since you only need to write like 100 words per every point, and you are good to go. That’s an entire paper you’ve just written. Just make sure you list the points before you get to start writing your 4 paragraph book review.

5.    Before beginning to write your 4 paragraph book review, make sure you have made clear what your theme is since it’s quite disappointing if the reader of your 4 paragraph book review reads the entire text, and he or she doesn’t support what you have just reviewed. Make it clear at the beginning what you will be discussing about, and this makes it easier for everyone who is trying to read your 4 paragraph book review.

6.    You also have to grade the book as per its genre. Does it have one in the first place? Like, does it fall under drama, action & adventure, horror, satire, or even mystery? If it does, then state its genre. You have some points there from your professor!

7.    Think about the writing style the author has used. Does it appeal to your sense of humor? What do you like most about the narrative writing used, the descriptive or expository style used by the author. Comment on this the best way to like.

8.    Use quotes from the book itself. I mean, quotes from the author. This will give the reader some sense of authority that you indeed have read the book, and even if you are not agreeing or you agree with the author, it’s right to pass authorization to the author. Use parenthesis (and include page numbers), avoid self-citations; do not make your views on the topic since this is not your written work.

On the issue of self-citation:

• It would be reasonable to avoid repeating what is essential in the author’s work, but you would rather try a dialogue with other authors!

• At the early stage of 4 paragraph book reviewing, we tend to self-cite to boost overall citations. Avoid this pitfall. You will feel embarrassed at a later stage of career to see your papers filled with self-citations.

9.    I have stated this on point number 8, but I want to give you more details regarding the fact that you should not tell readers of your review what the book is about. Those are your views regarding the book, and they are STRICTLY not allowed since it’s not a written invitation to present your opinions regarding the book or the author. Your review should tell the readers if they should read the book, what is good about the book, or why they should not waste time reading the book altogether.

10.    Spend some time and do some light research regarding the author of the book. This information is vital since you will understand more why the author came up with such a book. A book comes from a writer’s mind, and it’s entirely appropriate that when you write a book, it will rotate around your life, your friends, early school life, etc. so a book is just an invitation to the mind of the author, and you have to explore effectively to come up with a well-written 4 paragraph book review.

Just a recap:

• Read the book and makes notes

• Write a 4 paragraph book review just like you’d imagine telling your friend a story

• State the author's name

• Plan your writing by making points

• State the theme of the 4 paragraph book review to readers during the early stages

• State the genre of the book

• State your opinion regarding the writing style used

• Quote the author in your text

• Do not write your ideas for the book. 

• Please do a deep dive and research EVERYTHING.

How to develop a 4 paragraph Book Report.

Instructors do like to assign 4 paragraph book report assignments, whether oral or in written format to 4th graders, and have you ever wondered why? Yes, you could think it’s an intentional way of forcing students to go deep into their books and read a large volume of books in the library. For sure, it’s even more than that if I can tell you the truth. Your instructor intends to broaden your understanding of today’s world and society, and that is precisely what good books do, they enlighten you to think and act the way the current trends in society expect you to behave regarding certain things. Books help in eye-opening and also in critical thinking. They aid in decision making, crucial eye-opening occurrences regarding experiences, and dealing with people too. This proves that a book is a tool that fully demonstrated that you have experienced reading books. 

What does a 4 paragraph book report include? - Depending on your grade level, 4 paragraph book report content may vary. A middle-grade 4 paragraph book report does provide the minimal or let’s say basic details as far as a book is concerned; for example, a plot summary, several comments regarding the scholar’s opinion, and general impressions. With 4 paragraph book reports that concern students on a higher educational level, you expect them to be a little more detailed and even to deal with themes and other complicated things that regard 4 paragraph book reports.

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Useful tips to help you write an outstanding 4 paragraph book report.

Before going too far with the body of your 4 paragraph book report, spend a few minutes to have all the following questions asked and answered at a personal level.

1)    Did you find the book to be enjoyable? - You can opt to answer this question, for example:

“The book was great; I learned so much about people as well as different cultures. What an amazing author and man.”

“I really love this book, and it’s quite a rare combination, an account of a daughter’s commitment to her dying father. The book was pleasurable to read, and Mike Smith writes gorgeously.”

“I liked the book but not very much; it’s just a book of a wonderful man, father, and grandfather. It’s also a book about diverse cultures. The author doesn’t have acute observations, and sympathy isn’t all that put together to bring the real picture of sad moments. It wasn’t achieved so well I’d say”

2)    Was it well written?

You can answer this question like this:

“The book is an account showing to what depths human beings can go to achieve something meaningful or worthy. The book is simply a well-written account depicting the struggle that human beings can reach. The book doesn’t, however, add anything significant to our knowledge-based regarding the first settlers of Poland.”

“It’s a well-written book, and it drew me from the very beginning. It made me feel like I was standing right there with them as they seek the treasures of the land. There are a lot of good books, and this is one of them actually. I truly enjoyed every part of it. Its rather crazy and fanciful story, though, but at its core, it unveils all aspects of today’s world and how human beings are, typically. It’s a powerful book.”

3)    What was the book’s genre?

Was the book a satire or an anthology which is among the most interesting genres, was it on this list? Philosophy, Biography, Business, Chick Lit, Children's, Christianity, Classics, Comics, Contemporary, Cookbooks, Crime, E-books, Fantasy, Fiction, Gay and Lesbian, Graphic Novels, Ancient Fiction, History, Horror, and finally thought the list could never be exhausted; Humor and Comedy.

4)   Who were the main characters?

 In fiction, which characters did play the most vital roles that intertwine well with the book's overall theme?

William Brown (The Travelling Horn Player)

William is a rebel child in Suburbia. His overall instincts are against what is termed as social-climbing and the humdrum. He has a way of befriending the outcasts.

Flashman (The Discworld Series)

Harry is funny, more honest, and ideally less harmful than the many brave fools whose paths he double-crosses. He is just an admirable rogue

5)    Did you notice ant reoccurring symbols?

In the book “The Old Man and The Sea,” lions are depicted to symbolize the youth, freedom, and immeasurable strength. 

The novella starts with the dream of Santiago, who dreamt about the lion on the beach. 

The lion does represent a hunter who is very wild, noble, and quite manly in nature and the lord and king of that specific area he is living in.

The lions also serve as a symbol of Santiago’s childhood as he reminisces seeing them on the beachside in Africa as he was sailing there as a youth man.

6)    Is the book part of a series?

Is the book part of a more significant collection of books? For example, Harry potter, hunger games, lord of the rings, a song of ice and fire, among other interesting book series ever produced.

7)    For non-fiction books, can you identify the writer’s thesis?

It’s essential to identify the thesis when it comes to non-fiction books. Typically you can simply identify this by being keen when a stance is developed that related to the topic of the book.

8)    What writing style is used in the book?

Does the author use expository writing, narrative writing, persuasive, or descriptive writing? Have you seen instances where the author has used more than one style of writing?

9)    Can a tone be noticeable in the book?

Has the author conveyed a tone in the book? For example, a tone can be introduced in a story using an adjective, which brings forth a feeling of fear, anxiety, excitement, worry. Foolish, smart or depressing moments

10)    Did you happen to come across intentional biases or slant?

You can easily detect bias and prejudice:

• Did the author use inflammatory text, for example, racial descriptions and slurs?

• Did the author make claims to demean?

• Did the author provide evidence which openly is meant to support one side while ignoring information that may demean what the author is trying to support?

11)    Conclusion of a 4th grade 4 paragraph book report.

There is not going to be a change in the conclusion that the few pages synopsis did not tell us. Read the book and then summarize it.

As you are concluding, consider to add the following impressions and opinions:

• Was the ending quite satisfactory for fiction stories?

• Did the evidence actively support the thesis? (Still in non-fiction)

• What facts can be noted as being interesting as far as the author is concerned?

• Finally, would you ever recommend this book to anyone?

Make sure that your conclusion covers an additional paragraph with these additional points. You can re-state the name of the author in this section as well (this entirely depends with your rubric)

Sample 4 paragraph book report 4 th grade

“This book I read was fascinating. Full of so many things. It had all of the makings of a great book. The story...really interesting. All of the characters had their own role to play. The conclusion was one of the best I've ever read." - DT 4 paragraph book report, c. 4th grade.

• Did you find the book to be enjoyable?

• Was it well written?

• Did you notice ant reoccurring symbols?

• Who were the main characters?

• Did you happen to come across intentional biases or slant?

• Is the book part of a series?

• For non-fiction books, can you identify the writer’s thesis?

• What writing style is used in the book?

• Can a tone be noticeable in the book?

• What was the book’s genre?

• Conclusion

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Structuring essays

On this page:

Once you've understood the assignment and prepared your argument, you need to decide how you're going to present your essay in a logical structure.

Use our quick guide to planning out an essay to help you decide where and what to include in you introduction, conclusion, and main body of your text.

Introduction

The introduction of your essay serves as a road map establishing the scope of the discussion and presenting the central argument that will be developed throughout the essay. This is a space to make a positive first impression of your argument, your writing style, and the overall quality of your work. It will provide a solid ground for your assignment - providing you do everything you say you will .

Plan of Action

Your introduction should outline how the main body of your writing will proceed. It will give the reader a general idea of the theme of your work, why you think it is important, and where you plan to detail all of your arguments and ideas. By the end of the introduction you should have formed an outline for a coherent structure that your reader can follow.

Definition of Terms

Use the introduction to define specific terms related to the essay question to demonstrate engagement and clarity. For example:

This essay will explore the concept of 'social media' as platforms that facilitate online interactions among users.

Breadth of Discussion

Show the range of viewpoints relevant to the essay question. For instance:

Social media's impact on mental health outcomes is multifaceted, encompassing economic, social, and psychological perspectives. This essay will focus on the social and psychological aspects, particularly examining...

The main body of the essay elaborates on the points introduced in the introduction and develops arguments supported by evidence. It should me structured in paragraphs, and each paragraph should follow a logical sequence that build up to your conclusion.

Self-contained Paragraphs

Each paragraph should focus on a specific point related to the main argument. Start with a clear topic sentence that relates directly to the thesis statement.

• Unified:  All the sentences in a single paragraph should be related to a single idea (often expressed in the topic sentence of the paragraph).
• Clearly related to the thesis or question being asked:  The sentences should all refer to the central idea, question or thesis, of the paper.
• Coherent:  The sentences should be arranged logically and should follow a definite plan for development.
• Well-developed:  Every idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately explained and supported through evidence and details that work together to explain the paragraph's central theme.

Provide Evidence

Support your arguments with evidence such as data, examples, or scholarly sources. For example:

Studies have shown a correlation between excessive social media use and increased feelings of anxiety and depression (Smith, 2020).

Relate Back to the Thesis

Ensure that each paragraph explicitly connects back to the central argument or the essay question. This helps maintain a clear and focused argument.

It is helpful to check your essay plan, your introduction and the conclusion as you go along to make sure everything adds up.

The conclusion brings together the key points of the essay and restates the central argument in light of the evidence provided in the main body. This is your opportunity to  synthesise  your ideas into a coherent conclusion,  summarise  what you have written, and  reiterate the thesis statement from your introduction.

Bring all your ideas together and address the question one final time in one concise paragraph. Here you will abridge what you have accomplished, (dis)proven, or demonstrated within your main body. It is your final chance to ensure that the reader has been provided evidence to establish the main point of the writing. It is also your final chance to explicitly illustrate how you have met the assignment brief.

Briefly summarise the main points discussed in the essay. Avoid introducing new information, but make sure to reference 

Restate the thesis statement, emphasising its significance in light of the evidence presented in the main body. This will help you make sure you have kept on-topic and achieved your aim. For example:

In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated that social media can have significant impacts on mental health outcomes, particularly in relation to...

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On Paragraphs

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What is a paragraph?

A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. Learning to write good paragraphs will help you as a writer stay on track during your drafting and revision stages. Good paragraphing also greatly assists your readers in following a piece of writing. You can have fantastic ideas, but if those ideas aren't presented in an organized fashion, you will lose your readers (and fail to achieve your goals in writing).

The Basic Rule: Keep one idea to one paragraph

The basic rule of thumb with paragraphing is to keep one idea to one paragraph. If you begin to transition into a new idea, it belongs in a new paragraph. There are some simple ways to tell if you are on the same topic or a new one. You can have one idea and several bits of supporting evidence within a single paragraph. You can also have several points in a single paragraph as long as they relate to the overall topic of the paragraph. If the single points start to get long, then perhaps elaborating on each of them and placing them in their own paragraphs is the route to go.

Elements of a paragraph

To be as effective as possible, a paragraph should contain each of the following: Unity, Coherence, A Topic Sentence, and Adequate Development. As you will see, all of these traits overlap. Using and adapting them to your individual purposes will help you construct effective paragraphs.

The entire paragraph should concern itself with a single focus. If it begins with one focus or major point of discussion, it should not end with another or wander within different ideas.

Coherence is the trait that makes the paragraph easily understandable to a reader. You can help create coherence in your paragraphs by creating logical bridges and verbal bridges.

Logical bridges

• The same idea of a topic is carried over from sentence to sentence
• Successive sentences can be constructed in parallel form

Verbal bridges

• Key words can be repeated in several sentences
• Synonymous words can be repeated in several sentences
• Pronouns can refer to nouns in previous sentences
• Transition words can be used to link ideas from different sentences

A topic sentence

A topic sentence is a sentence that indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the paragraph is going to deal with. Although not all paragraphs have clear-cut topic sentences, and despite the fact that topic sentences can occur anywhere in the paragraph (as the first sentence, the last sentence, or somewhere in the middle), an easy way to make sure your reader understands the topic of the paragraph is to put your topic sentence near the beginning of the paragraph. (This is a good general rule for less experienced writers, although it is not the only way to do it). Regardless of whether you include an explicit topic sentence or not, you should be able to easily summarize what the paragraph is about.

Adequate development

The topic (which is introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and adequately. Again, this varies from paragraph to paragraph, depending on the author's purpose, but writers should be wary of paragraphs that only have two or three sentences. It's a pretty good bet that the paragraph is not fully developed if it is that short.

Some methods to make sure your paragraph is well-developed:

• Use examples and illustrations
• Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, and others)
• Examine testimony (what other people say such as quotes and paraphrases)
• Use an anecdote or story
• Define terms in the paragraph
• Compare and contrast
• Evaluate causes and reasons
• Examine effects and consequences
• Analyze the topic
• Describe the topic
• Offer a chronology of an event (time segments)

How do I know when to start a new paragraph?

You should start a new paragraph when:

• When you begin a new idea or point. New ideas should always start in new paragraphs. If you have an extended idea that spans multiple paragraphs, each new point within that idea should have its own paragraph.
• To contrast information or ideas. Separate paragraphs can serve to contrast sides in a debate, different points in an argument, or any other difference.
• When your readers need a pause. Breaks between paragraphs function as a short "break" for your readers—adding these in will help your writing be more readable. You would create a break if the paragraph becomes too long or the material is complex.
• When you are ending your introduction or starting your conclusion. Your introductory and concluding material should always be in a new paragraph. Many introductions and conclusions have multiple paragraphs depending on their content, length, and the writer's purpose.

Transitions and signposts

Two very important elements of paragraphing are signposts and transitions. Signposts are internal aids to assist readers; they usually consist of several sentences or a paragraph outlining what the article has covered and where the article will be going.

Transitions are usually one or several sentences that "transition" from one idea to the next. Transitions can be used at the end of most paragraphs to help the paragraphs flow one into the next.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Learning Objectives

• Determine the purpose and structure of the description essay
• Understand how to write a description essay

The Purpose of Description in Writing

Writers use description in writing to make sure that their audience is fully immersed in the words on the page. This requires a concerted effort by the writer to describe his or her world through sensory details.

As mentioned earlier in this chapter ,   sensory details are descriptions that appeal to our sense of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Your descriptions should try to focus on the five senses because most people rely on at least some these senses to experience the world. The use of sensory details, then, provides you the greatest possibility of relating to your audience and thus engaging them in your writing, making descriptive writing important not only during your education but also during everyday situations.

Writing at Work

Whether you are presenting a new product or service to a client, training new employees, or brainstorming ideas with colleagues, the use of clear, evocative detail is crucial. Make an effort to use details that express your thoughts in a way that will register with others. Sharp, concise details are always impressive.

The Structure of a Description Essay

Description essays  typically describe a person, a place, or an object using sensory details. The structure of a descriptive essay is more flexible than some of the other rhetorical modes. The introduction of a description essay should set up the tone and point of the essay. The thesis should convey the writer’s overall impression of the person, place, or object described in the body sections or paragraphs.

The organization of the essay may best follow  spatial order , an arrangement of ideas according to physical characteristics or appearance. Depending on what the writer describes, the organization could move from top to bottom, left to right, near to far, warm to cold, frightening to inviting, and so on. For example, if the subject is a client’s kitchen in the midst of renovation, you might start at one side of the room and move slowly across to the other end, describing appliances, cabinetry, and so on. Or you might choose to start with older remnants of the kitchen and progress to the new installations. Maybe start with the floor and move up toward the ceiling.

Writing a Description Essay

Choosing a subject is the first step in writing a description essay. Once you have chosen the person, place, or object you want to describe, your challenge is to write an effective thesis statement to guide your essay. The remainder of your essay describes your subject in a way that best expresses your thesis. Remember, you should have a strong sense of how you will organize your essay. Choose a strategy and stick to it.

Every part of your essay should use vivid sensory details. The more you can appeal to your readers’ senses, the more they will be engaged in your essay. See Appendix 1: Readings: Examples of Essays to read a sample description essay.

Self-Practice Exercise 4.3

H5P: Documentation tool

Exercise Preamble

Choose something to describe; it can be anything you like, but if you’re feeling stuck, here are some suggestions:

• Train station
• Your office
• A coffee shop
• Lobby of a movie theater
• Mystery option (Choose an object to describe but do not explicitly tell what it is. Describe it, but preserve the mystery.)

For this exercise, we will be thinking as far as the outline.

• What sensory details will you highlight in your description, and what words will you use to evoke them? Try to touch on as many of touch, taste, sight, smell, and sound as you can.
• What order will you share your details in: spatial (eg. describing details as they appear clockwise in a space) or sensory (eg. describing details in the order your senses experience them)? Give a few points to illustrate.
• Determine your thesis statement. Yes, even descriptive writing has a thesis that states a claim or perspective.
• Try drafting a rough outline for this descriptive piece. Pay special attention to making sure the details are specific and that the order you reveal the details in makes sense.

Key Takeaways

• Description essays should describe something vividly to the reader using strong sensory details.
• Sensory details appeal to the five human senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.
• A description essay should start with the writer’s main impression of a person, a place, or an object.
• Use spatial order to organize your descriptive writing.

ENGL Resources Copyright © by Tara Horkoff. All Rights Reserved.

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Home > Blog > 7 Best Ways to Shorten an Essay

7 Best Ways to Shorten an Essay

• Smodin Editorial Team
• Published: May 14, 2024
• General Guide About Content and Writing

Are you removing a lot of words and paragraphs from your essay but still not seeing the word count budge? Whether you’re meeting a strict word count or refining your message, reducing your essay’s length without sacrificing content quality can be challenging.

Luckily, besides just aiming for the minimum word count, there are some pretty simple solutions, like using artificial intelligence, conducting thorough research, and trimming unnecessary words. But there’s more.

In this guide, we’ll unpack some practical tips to help you make your essay concise and impactful. Time to make every word count!

7 Best Ways To Shorten an Essay

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the best ways you can shorten your essay:

1. Use Artificial intelligence

When we talk about academic writing, artificial intelligence (AI) can be a game changer, especially when it comes to reducing the length of your essays.

Tools like Smodin can help make your content more concise while enhancing overall quality. AI can help you shorten your essay through the following methods:

• Automated rewriting : AI rewriting tools can reformulate existing content to make it more straightforward while maintaining the original meaning.
• Sentence simplification : Algorithms can analyze your sentences and suggest simpler alternatives, helping eliminate redundant information and reduce word count.
• Research assistance : Certain platforms have AI-powered research tools that allow you to quickly gather the most relevant information. This ensures that every word in your essay contributes to your argument without unnecessary fillers.
• Plagiarism check : Ensuring your essay is plagiarism-free is crucial. For example, Smodin’s plagiarism detection tools help you identify and replace copied content with original, concise expressions.
• Instant feedback : Receive real-time suggestions on how to streamline your text, focusing on the essentials to effectively communicate your message.
• Reference generation : Automatically generate and insert citations in the correct format, which helps save you time while maintaining the academic integrity of your essay and keeping it short.

2. Identify Unnecessary Words and Remove Them

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to shorten your essay is by identifying and eliminating unnecessary words.

This approach helps decrease word count and sharpens your arguments, making your writing more compelling. You can identify and remove extra words by doing the following:

• Spot wordy phrases : Often, phrases can be condensed without losing meaning. For example, the phrase “due to the fact that” can be replaced with “because.” Be on the lookout for wordy phrases that increase word count needlessly.
• Remove unnecessary prepositional phrases : Prepositional phrases can be redundant or add unnecessary detail. Evaluate whether these phrases add value or just extra words. Cutting them can make sentences more direct.
• Avoid redundancies : Redundant pairs like “absolutely essential” or “future plans” can be reduced to one word without losing informational value.
• Trim excess adjectives and adverbs : Adjectives and adverbs can make writing better but can also lead to over-description. Use them sparingly, especially when they don’t contribute additional meaning to the nouns and verbs they modify.
• Fewer words; more impact : Aim for brevity by using fewer words to express the same idea. This will help to reduce the word count while making your writing more impactful and clear.

3. Tighten Sentence Structure

Tightening your sentence structure is crucial for making your essay more concise and readable. Use active voice to make your writing clearer and more dynamic. This is especially important in academic writing, where you have to get to the point quickly.

In academic essays, shifting from passive voice to active voice can shorten and strengthen your sentences. For example, instead of writing, “The experiment was conducted by the students,” you can say, “The students conducted the experiment.” This reduces the number of words and places the action directly with the subject, making your sentences more direct.

Combining two separate sentences into one can streamline your ideas and reduce redundancies. Look for opportunities where sentences can be merged without losing their significance. For example, “He wrote the book. It became a bestseller.” can be rephrased as “He wrote the book, which became a bestseller.”

Also, avoid unnecessary qualifiers and modifiers that don’t add substantial information. Sentences often become bogged down with these extras, making them cluttered and long.

4. Conduct Thorough Research

When writing essays, extensive research can make the final output a lot shorter. Effective research helps you gather precise information that’s relevant to your topic. This means you’ll write more directly and avoid needless elaboration. Here’s how you can conduct research effectively:

• Define the scope of your research : Determine what information is essential to the argument. This initial step will help you focus your research efforts and prevent irrelevant data.
• Identify key sources : Begin with scholarly databases and academic journals that offer peer-reviewed articles. These sources provide credible, authoritative information that can be crucial for academic writing.
• Use precise keywords : When searching for information, use specific keywords related to your essay topic. Precision here will help find the most relevant articles and studies, reducing time spent on unnecessary reading.
• Evaluate sources : Assess the relevance and reliability of each source. Check the publication date to ensure the information is current and relevant to your topic.
• Take notes efficiently : As you research, jot down important points, quotes, and references. Organize these notes according to the sections in your essay to make writing faster.
• Synthesize information : Combine information from multiple sources to build a strong argument. This will allow you to write comprehensively and with fewer words, as each sentence carries more weight.

5. Improve Your Paragraph Structure

Streamlining paragraphs can make your essay shorter and more digestible for the reader. With a well-structured paragraph, you can focus on a single idea supported by concise statements.

Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly states the main idea. This sentence sets the direction and tone, letting the reader know what to expect. It also helps ensure that every following sentence relates directly to the main idea.

Condense supporting information by merging ideas that logically coexist within a single sentence or phrase. After that, evaluate each sentence for its contribution to the paragraph’s main idea. Remove any information that is repeated or goes into too much detail.

Focus on providing evidence and explanations that directly support the main point. You should also end each paragraph with a sentence that reinforces the main idea and potentially links to the next paragraph. This creates smooth transitions and keeps the essay focused and cohesive.

6. Refine the Introduction and Conclusion

These sections frame your essay and influence how your arguments are perceived. Here are some ways to keep them concise yet effective.

Introduction

The introduction should be engaging and concise, clearly stating the purpose and scope of your essay. Begin with a hook that grabs the reader’s attention, followed by background information that sets the context. Incorporate your thesis statement early on, ideally at the end of the intro.

The conclusion needs to reinforce the thesis. Summarize key points in the essay and show how they support the thesis. Provide a final thought that leaves the reader with something to ponder.

Also, remember to keep it tight – the conclusion isn’t a place for introducing new ideas. It should wrap up the ones you presented and prompt the reader to pose their own questions.

7. Edit and Proofread

Keep your essay concise and error-free by allocating ample time for editing and proofreading. These processes scrutinize your work at different levels, from the overall structure to word choices and punctuation. Here’s how you can go about it:

Start by reading through your entire paper to get a feel for its flow and coherence. Check if all paragraphs support your thesis statement and if section transitions are smooth. This will help you spot areas where the argument might be weak, or wording could be clearer.

Focus next on paragraph structure. Ensure each paragraph sticks to one main idea and that all sentences directly support the idea. Remove any repetitive or irrelevant sentences that don’t add value.

Then, look for clarity and style. Replace complex words with simpler alternatives to maintain readability. Keep your tone consistent throughout the paper. Adjust the sentence length and structure to enhance the flow and make it more engaging.

Proofreading

Proofreading comes after editing. The focus here is catching typing errors, grammatical mistakes, and inconsistent formatting. It’s always best to proofread with fresh eyes, so consider taking a break before this step.

Use tools like spell checkers, but don’t rely solely on them. Read your essay aloud or have someone else review it. Hearing the words can help you catch errors you may have missed.

Lastly, check for punctuation errors and ensure all citations and references are formatted according to the required academic style. This and all of the above are areas in which AI can help get the job done with speed and precision.

Why You Might Need to Shorten Your Essay

Ever heard the expression “less is more”? When it comes to academic writing, it normally is. Keeping your essays concise offers several benefits:

• Enhances clarity : A shorter essay forces you to focus on the main points and critical arguments, reducing the risk of going off-topic. This clarity makes your writing more impactful and easier for the reader to follow.
• Meets word limits : Many academic assignments have a maximum word count. Learning to express your thoughts concisely helps you stay within these limits without sacrificing essential content.
• Saves time : For both the writer and the reader, shorter essays take less time to write, revise, and read. This efficiency is especially valuable in academic settings where time is usually limited.
• Increases engagement : Readers are more likely to stay engaged with a document that gets to the point quickly. Lengthy texts can deter readers, especially if the content has unnecessary words or redundant points.
• Improves writing skills : Shortening essays helps refine your writing skills. You become better at identifying and eliminating fluff, focusing instead on what really adds value to your paper.

Overall, adopting a more succinct writing style helps you meet academic requirements and polish your communication skills.

Why Use Smodin To Shorten an Essay

Using AI-powered platforms like Smodin to shorten your essay is both the simplest and the least time-consuming method available. Here’s why you should probably make Smodin your go-to essay shortener:

• Efficiency : Smodin eases the editing process, using advanced algorithms to quickly identify areas where content can be condensed without losing meaning.
• Accuracy : With its powerful AI, Smodin ensures that the essence of your essays stays intact while getting rid of unnecessary words, making your writing more precise.
• Ease of use : Smodin is user-friendly, making it accessible even to those who aren’t the most tech-savvy. Its easy-to-grasp interface allows for seamless navigation and operation.

Smodin’s offerings

• Rewriter : Available in over 50 languages, this tool helps rewrite text to be more concise.
• Article Writer : Assists in drafting articles that are crisp and to the point.
• Plagiarism and Auto Citation : Ensures your essay is original and correctly cited, which is crucial in academic writing.
• Language Detection : Identifies the language of the text, ensuring the right adjustments are made for clarity.

All these tools and more are what make Smodin an excellent choice for academics looking to reduce the length of their essays.

Final Thoughts

Word counts can be a real headache, especially when you need to say a lot with a little. Thankfully, by identifying unnecessary words, tightening your sentences, and using tools like Smodin, you can make your essay concise without losing its meaning. Remember, a shorter essay doesn’t just meet word limits; and it’s clear, more compelling, and more likely to keep your reader engaged.

Keep it short, keep it sweet, and make every word count! Get started for free right now with Smodin.

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• How long is an essay? Guidelines for different types of essay

How Long is an Essay? Guidelines for Different Types of Essay

Published on January 28, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The length of an academic essay varies depending on your level and subject of study, departmental guidelines, and specific course requirements. In general, an essay is a shorter piece of writing than a research paper  or thesis .

In most cases, your assignment will include clear guidelines on the number of words or pages you are expected to write. Often this will be a range rather than an exact number (for example, 2500–3000 words, or 10–12 pages). If you’re not sure, always check with your instructor.

In this article you’ll find some general guidelines for the length of different types of essay. But keep in mind that quality is more important than quantity – focus on making a strong argument or analysis, not on hitting a specific word count.

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Table of contents

Essay length guidelines, how long is each part of an essay, using length as a guide to topic and complexity, can i go under the suggested length, can i go over the suggested length, other interesting articles.

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In an academic essay, the main body should always take up the most space. This is where you make your arguments, give your evidence, and develop your ideas.

The introduction should be proportional to the essay’s length. In an essay under 3000 words, the introduction is usually just one paragraph. In longer and more complex essays, you might need to lay out the background and introduce your argument over two or three paragraphs.

The conclusion of an essay is often a single paragraph, even in longer essays. It doesn’t have to summarize every step of your essay, but should tie together your main points in a concise, convincing way.

The suggested word count doesn’t only tell you how long your essay should be – it also helps you work out how much information and complexity you can fit into the given space. This should guide the development of your thesis statement , which identifies the main topic of your essay and sets the boundaries of your overall argument.

A short essay will need a focused, specific topic and a clear, straightforward line of argument. A longer essay should still be focused, but it might call for a broader approach to the topic or a more complex, ambitious argument.

As you make an outline of your essay , make sure you have a clear idea of how much evidence, detail and argumentation will be needed to support your thesis. If you find that you don’t have enough ideas to fill out the word count, or that you need more space to make a convincing case, then consider revising your thesis to be more general or more specific.

The length of the essay also influences how much time you will need to spend on editing and proofreading .

You should always aim to meet the minimum length given in your assignment. If you are struggling to reach the word count:

• Add more evidence and examples to each paragraph to clarify or strengthen your points.
• Make sure you have fully explained or analyzed each example, and try to develop your points in more detail.
• Address a different aspect of your topic in a new paragraph. This might involve revising your thesis statement to make a more ambitious argument.
• Don’t use filler. Adding unnecessary words or complicated sentences will make your essay weaker and your argument less clear.
• Don’t fixate on an exact number. Your marker probably won’t care about 50 or 100 words – it’s more important that your argument is convincing and adequately developed for an essay of the suggested length.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

In some cases, you are allowed to exceed the upper word limit by 10% – so for an assignment of 2500–3000 words, you could write an absolute maximum of 3300 words. However, the rules depend on your course and institution, so always check with your instructor if you’re unsure.

Only exceed the word count if it’s really necessary to complete your argument. Longer essays take longer to grade, so avoid annoying your marker with extra work! If you are struggling to edit down:

• Check that every paragraph is relevant to your argument, and cut out irrelevant or out-of-place information.
• Make sure each paragraph focuses on one point and doesn’t meander.
• Cut out filler words and make sure each sentence is clear, concise, and related to the paragraph’s point.
• Don’t cut anything that is necessary to the logic of your argument. If you remove a paragraph, make sure to revise your transitions and fit all your points together.
• Don’t sacrifice the introduction or conclusion . These paragraphs are crucial to an effective essay –make sure you leave enough space to thoroughly introduce your topic and decisively wrap up your argument.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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