An essay is an analytical piece of writing by a student on a particular subject. An essay is several paragraphs long instead of just one or twoparagraphs. It is written about one topic, just as a paragraph. However, the topic of an essay is too complex to discuss in one paragraph. Therefore, you must divide the topic into several paragraphs, one for each major point. Then you must tie all of the separate paragraphs together by adding an introduction and a conclusion.
Writing an essay is not more difficult than writing a paragraph except that an essay is longer. The principles of organization are the same for both, so if you can write a good paragraph, you can write a good essay.
An essay has three main parts.
1. An introductory paragraph
2. A body (at least one, but usually two or more paragraphs)
3. A concluding paragraph
The introductory paragraph consists of two parts: a few general statements about your subject and a thesis statement which conveys exactly what the text is to be about, states the specific subdivisions of your topic and comments on the way it is to be treated.
The body consists of one or more paragraphs. Each paragraph develops a subdivision of your topic. The body is the longest part of the essay and can contain as many paragraphs as necessary to support the controlling ideas of your thesis. The paragraphs of the body are like the main supporting points in a single paragraph.
The conclusion in an essay, like the concluding sentence in a paragraph, is a summary of the main points discussed in the body.
The only additional element in an essay is the linking expressions between the paragraphs of the body. These are just like transitions within a paragraph. You use transitions within a paragraph to connect the ideas between two sentences. Similarly, you use transitions between paragraphs to connect the ideas between them.
Comprehension questions:
1. What is the reason for dividing an essay into several paragraphs and what will the number of paragraphs depend on?
2. What are the main parts of an essay and what do they aim at?
3. Why do you have to use transitions between the paragraphs?
A) Writing an introduction
General statements
- Introduce the topic of the essay
-Give background information on the topic
The first sentence in the introduction should be a very general comment about the subject. Each subsequent sentence should become more specific than the previous one and finally lead to the thesis statement. The thesis statement is an expression of intent or promise to the reader that states your main idea and sets up an expectation of what the reader will find in the essay. You should state clearly what your position is on the topic of the essay.
The thesis statement
- States the main topic
-Often lists the subdivisions of the topic or subtopics
-Is usually the last sentence in the introduction
Here are two examples of thesis statements with no subtopics mentioned:
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Being the oldest son has more disadvantages than advantages.
The large movement of people from rural to urban areas has major effects on cities.
In the following thesis statement, the subtopics are named:
The large movement of people from rural to urban areas has major effects on a city’s ability to provide housing, employment, and adequate sanitation services.
Practice 1
Read the following introductory paragraphs, each of which is in scrambled order. Rewrite each paragraph, beginning with the most general statement, then add each sentence in the correct order until the introduction becomes more specific, write the thesis statement last.
Paragraph 1
(1)However, in others, the nuclear family is the norm, with only the parents and young children sharing the same house.(2)People in different cultures all over the world have different systems for family life.(3)In most cultures, people live in extended families, in which several generations share the same house.(4)If this new system becomes widespread, it could have enormous effects on American society.(5)On the positive side, living together might reduce the divorce rate in the USA; on the negative side, it might lead to the eventual disintegration of the traditional family unit altogether.(6)In the USA, some couples are experimenting with still another system of family life: living together without marriage.
Paragraph 2
( 1)A person can learn to control stress by setting realistic goals, by enjoying a hobby and/or physical exercise, by maintaining good, warm relationships with family and friends.(2)Stress affects almost everyone, from the highly pressured executive to the busy homemaker or student.(3)Stress, like a common cold, is a problem that can not be cured; however, it can be controlled.(4)The busy schedules that most adults face from day to day have created a growing health problem in the modern world.(5)It can cause one of physical disorders, ranging from headaches to stomach ulcers and even alcoholism.
Practice 2
A Analyze the following thesis statements:
-locate the main topic and the subtopics,
-underline the subtopics,
-mark the words or punctuation marks that are used to introduce the
subtopics.
E.g. Capital punishment should be abolished √ not only because it deprives another person of life √ but also because it does not stop crime.
1. Drug and alcohol abuse among teenagers can be traced to the following causes: lack of parental supervision, lax enforcement of drug laws, and the social and psychological problems of teenagers themselves.
2. In choosing a major, a student has to consider various factors, such as personal interest, job opportunities, and the availability of training institutions.