Let me guess, you’ve just read your expository writing requirements, and you are confused. Most likely, you are not familiar with this type of writing in detail, and you feel lost and afraid before performing this kind of task. We hasten to reassure you that you are not alone, Edusson is ready to help you out. In this article, we will not only study the essence of expository essays but also talk about the requirements for paragraph structure and key features. Moreover, we will explain to you how to make your essay perfect and get high marks from the teacher.
What Is the Purpose of Expository Writing?
What is an expository essay, and what’s its purpose? The primary purpose of an expository text is a detailed explanation, a clear presentation of the facts, and a definition of a certain concept related to the essay topic. The target of this essay is neither to convince the reader nor to challenge certain statements. Such text aims to explain concepts, therefore, requires awareness of the chosen topic.
The student is required to study the particular topic in depth to understand all the necessary aspects. The theme of your essay should be interesting for you so that the expository essay comes out innovative and fresh. You can see the most popular expository essay topics and find the one that suits you best. In the process of research, you will have to evaluate the data, choosing only the most reliable factual evidence to make your essay credible. Ultimately, you need to present the data you have collected in your expository essay coherently and understandably for the reader.
Distinctive Features of Expository Writing
To write an expository essay, you need to accurately understand the expository essay format. Every expository essay writer on our team has come across this type of assignment more than once. Therefore, they have compiled a list of the main features of expository essays for you so that you no longer have questions about the writing process:
- Meaningful content. The expository essay should be, first and foremost, informative and based on factual information.
- Unprejudiced statement. The text should be objective, state the facts, and not personal opinions.
- Clear structure. Such essays require the author to adhere to the expository essay structure and stick to the expository writing format. Otherwise, it is difficult to ensure the smooth presentation of information.
Expository Essays VS Argumentative Essays
The main difference between these types of essays is their focus. What is expository text and its focus? The expository writing is objective and aims to state the facts in a neutral tone. This type of essay writing is well-suited for scientific research. At the same time, the argumentative essay is subjective and aims to convince the reader of the correctness of his point of view. An argumentative essay, of course, can also operate with reliable facts. However, its main point is to argue a certain point of view.
Types of Expository Essays
To fulfill the requirements in the best possible way, you should pay attention to what kind of expository essay the teacher wants to receive from you. Let’s see what types of expository essays exist and what their features are:
Cause and Effect essay
This type of expository essay describes the relationship between initial conditions and their consequences. Conditions are usually called the “cause,” and the factors that have arisen as a result of the conditions are called the “effect.”
Compare and contrast essay
Compare and contrast is a type of academic writing where a writer takes two objects, ideas, or phenomena and compares them, determining their strengths and weaknesses and drawing an objective conclusion about the superiority of one over the other.
Descriptive essay
Descriptive essays imply that the student makes an objective description of a certain object, situation, or figure so that the reader has a complete picture of the topic. For example, describe the historical flow of the Great Depression.
Problem and solution essay
This example of academic writing describes one ideal solution to a problem or gives a list of possible options. In the first case, you have to explain why the idea you have chosen is objectively the best solution.
Process essay
Expository paper of process often gives step-by-step instructions on how to perform a certain task. In a process essay, you can explain how certain mechanisms work. This type of expository essays can reveal different ideas and give instructions both for a specific mechanism and for an abstract concept.
How to Write an Expository Essay
Pick a structure for the essay
Like other types of academic writing, an expository essay is subject to a general five paragraphs structure. A standard five-paragraph essay includes an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. The usual word count is 500-800 words. However, you may be asked to write a longer essay.
The opening paragraph should attract the attention of the reader and convince him that he will be interested in the topic of your essay. Therefore it’s best to start an expository essay with a hook statement, also known as a thesis, to ensure further attention. The body paragraph should develop the idea announced in the introduction and contain the main message of the whole essay. A good expository essay uses detailed description, provides background information, (supporting details), and implies an academic tone in its body paragraphs. Each body paragraph introduces a different idea and starts with a topic sentence. In comparison, the final paragraph sums up what you have written so far. The conclusion often contains a restated thesis statement.
Be careful to include each important component. To make it easier for you to deal with the structure of expository essay, we strongly recommend that you start by writing an expository essay outline. An expository essay outline works as a rough draft for your preliminary ideas. This way, you organize all your thoughts so that you don’t forget to mention them later in your writing.
Come up with a Thesis statement
A strong first paragraph will keep your reader’s attention throughout the essay. A thesis statement will help you with this. The thesis statement is a phrase that briefly and clearly states the idea of your essay. There are many ways to write a good thesis statement. You can start your expository essay with a question to the reader, shocking data, or a contradictory statement that you will later refute. Make sure to brainstorm some fresh ideas to make a strong thesis statement to get the reader’s full attention. Your main task is to ensure that the thesis statements clearly depict the idea of what you have written.
Make a Catchy Hook
As you can tell from the name, the hook exists to intrigue the reader, making them interested in your expository essays. Meaning they are very close to the thesis statement. Try starting an expository essay with a suitable quote, a shocking statistic, or a puzzling question. However, do not overdo it with intrigue. Any information you use to attract attention must be disclosed in the body paragraphs of the essay. Otherwise, the reader will be disappointed in your expository essay, as he will not find in it a confirmation or refutation of the information you wrote in the hook.
Don’t go far with creativity
Creativity and individual approach are very well placed in the artistic types of writing. However, an expository essay requires the right tone. When you write expository essays, that implies a listing of facts and concepts, so try not to overdo it with excessive creativity. It’s better to stick to a common structure and write a meaningful conclusion.
Stick to the facts and support them with evidence
You have to choose the facts for your essay very carefully. You also have to research the patterns between certain facts, provide supporting points and dictionary definition of the notions, and reinforce your conclusion with strong supporting evidence. In this way, you provide a reliable basis for your expository writing, making it worthy of trust.
Use transitions
Use the right transitions. Do not jump from one topic to another. On the contrary, you need to smoothly switch between ideas. Use linking words such as: firstly, secondly, therefore, moreover, however, concludingly, etc.
Though, it’s not just about linking words that keep the text flowing smoothly. It also refers to the logical sequence of how you present information in an expository essay. Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence. This will help ensure a smoother transition from one topic to the next.
Stick With Third-Person POV
Each expository essay example uses the third-person point of view to make expository writing look neutral. As you already know, an expository essay requires objectivity and unbiased views. That is why it is recommended not to write an expository essay in the first person. And for example, when you write a blog post by presenting the story in the first person, you provide closer contact with the reader, but by shortening the distance, you present yourself more as a friend than an expert. Conversely, when your writing is in the third person, you appear more as an expert.
Revise and Proofread
Good expository writing is impossible without revisions. The content and the absence of grammatical errors are equally important for the assessment. You should check your first draft several times for grammatical mistakes. Ask a friend or seek help from a specialist so they can take a fresh look at your expository writing. Only after a few checks, write the final version of your essay.
