ESSAY l HAND-OUT  Work together with the other body paragraphs

to support your essay’s main idea;

 An essay is a short non-fiction, non-imaginary  Work together with the other body paragraphs
work about a subject. It may be classified by tone to create a clear, cohesive paper (clarity and
and style as formal or informal. coherence can be achieved through the use of
 It has many purposes depending on what the transitions)
writer wants to write about and how he/she wants  Each body paragraph states and explains a
to affect the readers. different point to help you prove your opinion
 An essay is a written collection of prose, organized  An opinion is always stronger when it has more
and divided neatly into paragraphs supporting facts (proof)
 Always remember that an essay is a written form
of communication and therefore, must be clear, FACT OPINION
organized and easily understandable to those  Fact is a true  An opinion is one
reading statement individual’s
 Facts can be personal belief on
What is the Purpose of an Essay? supported, upheld a subject
 An essay is used to state and support an opinion and proven by  Everyone is
with proof and explanation evidence welcome to have
 Essays can be used to persuade others to agree an opinion, but not
with your opinion every opinion is
based on fact
THREE MAIN PARTS  Opinions can be
1. INTRODUCTION based on what a
It is the opening part of the write-up that shows the person has heard
topic sentence of the essay or the thesis from others, and is
statement. It prepares the readers on the essay. therefore subject
Therefore, it should be effective so that the to bias
readers are encourage/motivate to continue  make sure that you phrase and word your essays
reading. as if they are FACT, not simply OPINION

Effective introduction should An effective body paragraphs should

• Catch the reader’s attention, which can be
done, for example, by using a direct
announcement, a quotation, a question, a
definition, an unusual comparison, or a
controversial position/opinion;
• Introduce the topic of the essay, (in other
words, inform the reader of and provide a
context for the topic being discussed);
• Introduce the main idea (otherwise known as
the thesis or claim) of the essay;
• Introduce the purpose of the essay (will it
inform, argue, persuade, describe, narrate,
classify, etc.?).
2. BODY
 An essay includes body paragraphs, which
develop the main idea (thesis or claim) of the
essay.
• Explain, illustrate, discuss, or provide evidence
to support the main idea (thesis or claim) of the
essay;
• Discuss only one aspect of the main idea
(whenever you move on to a new supporting
point, start a new body paragraph);
3. CONCLUSION
An essay ends with a brief conclusion, which
brings the essay to a logical end. An effective
conclusion should:
 brief;
 predicting an outcome to the main idea
 giving an opinion
 quotations
  Remind readers of the primary focus of the
essay, which can be done by restating the
main idea in different words;
 Avoid introducing new ideas;
 Avoid apologies.
TYPES OF AN ESSAY
FORMAL ESSAY
 This is known as impersonal essay. The
content is informative and scientific in nature.
The writer uses the “aesthetic” approach in
language and style.
Tips for Writing Formal Essays
 Do not use personal pronouns (I, we, you)
These suggest your essay is an opinion
instead of factual
 Write in Present tense
 Do not use rhetorical devises or creative
writing skills
 Do not use contractions (Can’t, won’t, couldn’t)
 Do not use slang or informal language
 Avoid using vague language (be specific)
 In an essay do not simply summarize your
novel/play (assume that whoever is reading
knows the novel/play well)
 In your body paragraph, be as detailed and
specific as possible when explaining and
supporting your evidence and quotations
 Use transition words to move smoothly from
one idea to the next (in addition, lastly, for
example, therefore)
 NEVER bring up new information in your
closing paragraph
NARRATIVE ESSAY
 It is an essay that tells a story of the writer or
other’s story. It is usually found in the feature
writing sections of newspaper or magazine
EXPOSITORY ESSAY
 It is an essay that explains something so that
reader can understand.
PERSUASIVE ESSAY
 It is an essay that convinces the reader to think
in a certain way.
Elements of an Essay
 Audience- It refers to whom the essay is
intended for.
 Purpose- It refers to the intention or goal in
writing the essay.
 Subject- It is the topic discussed in the essay.
 Point of view- It is the how the ideas are told
to the reader
 Theme- It refers to the lesson or message of
the essay.
 Mood- It refers to the feeling which the writer
would like the reader to experience or get from
the literary work.
 Tone- It is the attitude of the writer towards
his/her subject
 Style- This is the special way in which the
ideas of the essay are developed.

INFORMAL ESSAY
 It is called familiar or personal essay. It
expresses personal experiences or
observation on human nature. Its purpose is to
entertain rather than to inform.

FORMS OF ESSAY

DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY
 It is an essay that illustrates by using sensory
words in order to bring to the reader’s
imagination what is being talked about.