Essay WritingJati Suryanto, S.Pd., Dipl. TESOL

Developing IdeasChoose a topic that you want to write.Develop the topic into sub-topics.Use questions to develop the topic.

ExampleWhat is your favorite pet?

My favourite pet is my dog, Romeo.

A dog

How to make sub-topics?Use question.Why do you like your pet?

My favourite pet is my dog, Romeo.

A dog

It is beautiful

and easy to care for

Playing with him is a lot of

fun

He always takes

care of me

Write the Introductory Paragraph· Introduction or Topic Sentence

(Use key words from the prompt)

· First Subtopic (A “Showing” Example)

· Second Subtopic (A “Showing” Example)

· Third Subtopic (A “Showing” Example)

· Conclusion (Restates Introduction)

How to write conclusion?Paraphrase the topic sentence. (Write the

sentence in different words without changing the meaning)

For Example:My favorite pet is my dog, Romeo.

Change into:I have never had a better pet.

Paragraph 1: Introductory Paragraph

My favorite pet is my dog, Romeo. He is beautiful and easy to care for. Playing with him is lots of fun. He always takes care of me. I have never had a better pet.

How to make the body text paragraph?Make another question for paragraph 2.Why is your pet beautiful and easy to care

for?

A dog

He is beautiful

and easy to care for

He is a tricolor Sheltie, mostly

black with white and a bit of

brown.

Caring for him is easy because I simply have to make sure he has fresh water and food

every day.

I exercise him by throwing his toys.

Write Paragraph 2Romeo is beautiful and easy to care for. He is a tricolor Sheltie, mostly black with white and a bit of brown. Caring for him is easy because I simply have to make sure he has fresh water and food every day. I exercise him by throwing his toys. Because he is good looking and doesn’t require much care Romeo is a good pet.

Make another question for paragraph 3

Why playing with him is a lot of fun?

A dog

Playing with him is a lot of fun He loves to

play catch.

He follows me around the house with a toy

and drops it on my foot so I will toss it.

He can catch just about anything,

but his favorite is chasing a Frisbee.

Write Paragraph 3Romeo is lots of fun to play with. He loves to play catch. He follows me around the house with a toy and drops it on my foot so I will toss it. He can catch just about anything, but his favorite is chasing a Frisbee. I really have fun playing with Romeo.

Make another question for paragraph 4

How can your dog take care of you?

A dog

He always takes care

of meHe always follows me

when I leave a room.

When I am sitting on a couch he plops down

right beside me.

On sunny days when we are hiking in the

woods he always makes sure that I keep up with the rest of the

family.

Write Paragraph 4 Romeo takes care of me. He always follows me when I leave a room. When I am sitting on a couch he plops down right beside me. On sunny days when we are hiking in the woods he always makes sure that I keep up with the rest of the family. He always watches out for me.

How to write conclusion?

Paraphrase the opening paragraph into another paragraph using different words but does not change the meaning.

My favorite pet is my dog, Romeo. He is beautiful and easy to care for. Playing with him is lots of fun. He always takes care of me. I have never had a better pet.

As you can see, Romeo is a great pet. I am proud of him and he doesn’t require much care. Playing with him is very pleasurable. I am always safe because he watches over me. Romeo is a wonderful pet.

Now the expository essay is readyMy favorite pet is my dog, Romeo. He is beautiful and easy to care

for. Playing with him is lots of fun. He always takes care of me. I have never had a better pet.

Romeo is beautiful and easy to care for. He is a tricolor Sheltie, mostly black with white and a bit of brown. Caring for him is easy because I simply have to make sure he has fresh water and food every day. I exercise him by throwing his toys. Because he is good looking and doesn’t require much care Romeo is a good pet.

Romeo is lots of fun to play with. He loves to play catch. He follows me around the house with a toy and drops it on my foot so I will toss it. He can catch just about anything, but his favorite is chasing a Frisbee. I really have fun playing with Romeo.

Romeo takes care of me. He always follows me when I leave a room. When I am sitting on a couch he plops down right beside me. On sunny days when we are hiking in the woods he always makes sure that I keep up with the rest of the family. He always watches out for me.

As you can see, Romeo is a great pet. I am proud of him and he doesn’t require much care. Playing with him is very pleasurable. I am always safe because he watches over me. Romeo is a wonderful pet.

TOPIC

SUB TOPIC 1

SUB TOPIC 2

SUB TOPIC 3

DETAIL 3

DETAIL 2

DETAIL 1

DETAIL 1

DETAIL 2

DETAIL 3

DETAIL 3

DETAIL 2

DETAIL 1

My favorite pet is my dog, Romeo.

Romeo is beautiful and easy to care for.

Romeo is lots of fun to play with

Romeo takes care of me

I exercise him by throwing his toys

Caring for him is easy

He is a tricolor Sheltie

He always follows me when I leave a room

He plops down right beside me

He always makes sure that I keep up with

the rest of the family.

His favorite is chasing a Frisbee

He follows me around the house

He loves to play catch

The Traditional Five – Paragraph Essay

The Three Main Parts: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion

OVERALL STRUCTURE OF THE FIVE-PARAGRAPH ESSAY

Introduction: Tell them what you’re going to tell them.

Body: Tell them.

Conclusion: Tell them what you’ve told them.

I. Introduction:The First Paragraph of the Essay

The first paragraph of the five – paragraph is called the introduction. In a non – persuasive essay, it about three to five sentences long.

These three to five sentences make up the three main parts of the introduction.

The three main parts of the introductory paragraph are named as follows: the Lead-In, the Transition, and the Thesis Statement/Essay Map. They may be explained as follows:

A. The Lead-In: a very general sentence or sentences that simply introduce(s) the subject (topic) of the essay.

Example: I do not remember when and why my

father disappeared from our life, but I do remember that we have never felt his absence because my mother was always there for us through good times and bad times.

B. Transition: A Slightly more specific sentence or sentences that identify/ies the particular aspect of the topic that will be discussed in the essay. In other words, the transition narrows the topic.

Example: My mother Enriqueta F. Garcia has three

children, all girls. Throughout the years of raising us, she has been the source of love and strength for us girls.

(The particular aspect identified is that her mother has been a source of love and strength for her daughters.)

C. Thesis Statement-Essay Map.The Thesis Statement is the main idea of the entire essay. In this case, the Thesis Statement is that the author’s mother is an amazing woman.The Essay Map is the list of the three main ideas that will be developed in the Body Paragraphs: in this essay, they are: performs the double role of a mother and a father, holds a full-time job, and still manages to tend to all her daughters’ needs.

Example:

She is an amazing woman who performs the double role of a mother and a father, holds a full-time job, and still manages to tend to all our needs.

II. The Body Paragraph: (Three Main Components)

A. Topic Sentence

The topic sentence is the sentence that expresses the main idea of the body paragraph, which is one of the three main supporting ideas presented in the Essay Map.

Example: First, my mother has always been both a Mom and

a Dad to us since we were little.

B. Supporting DetailsThe supporting details are the specific pieces of information that clarify, explain, illustrate and develop the main idea expressed in the Topic Sentence.

Example:Like a father, she 1brings in the money, 2pays

the bills, 3sets the rules, and 4disciplines us whenever it is needed. But even though she is 5rough and tough, she 6has a loving and tender heart. Like all mothers, she 7bandages our wounds, 8gives us kisses,9talks “girl talk” to us, or 10simply holds us when we want to be held.

C. Concluding SentenceThe concluding sentence gives closure to the

paragraph by paraphrasing the Topic Sentence.

Example: In short, despite the absence of my father, we

have never felt that emotional void because my mother has been doing an outstanding job of filling both mother’s and a father’ role.

III. The Concluding Paragraph: Four Main Components

A. Paraphrase of the Lead-In

Example:

In conclusion, as one can see, thanks to our mother, our father’s absence from our world was never a painful issue for my sisters and me.

B. Paraphrase of the Transition

Example: My mother is a strong, loving woman

C. Paraphrase of Thesis Statement and Essay Map

Example: who, amazingly, has been both a

Mom and a Dad to us as well as being a competent accountant and compassionate caregiver.

D. Statement emphasizing and expanding the importance of the topic

Example: Her giving spirit and dedication

to her work and family have been an inspiration to us, and we will try our very best to be just like her so that we can instill those values in our own

children.

I do not remember when and why my father disappeared from our life, but I do remember that we have never felt his absence because my mother was always there for us through good times and bad times. My mother Enriqueta F. Garcia has three children, all girls. Throughout the years of raising us, she has been the source of love and strength for us girls. She is an amazing woman who performs the double role of a mother and a father, holds a full-time job, and still manages to tend to all our needs.

First, my mother has always been both a Mom and a Dad to us since we were little. Like a father, she 1brings in the money, 2pays the bills, 3sets the rules, and 4disciplines us whenever it is needed. But even though she is 5rough and tough, she 6has a loving and tender heart. Like all mothers, she 7bandages our wounds, 8gives us kisses,9talks “girl talk” to us, or 10simply holds us when we want to be held. In short, despite the absence of my father, we have never felt that emotional void because my mother has been doing an outstanding job of filling both a mother’s and a father’s role.

In conclusion, as one can see, thanks to our mother, our father’s absence from our world was never a painful issue for my sisters and me. My mother is a strong, loving woman who, amazingly, has been both a Mom and a Dad to us as well as being a competent accountant and compassionate caregiver. Her giving spirit and dedication to her work and family have been an inspiration to us, and we will try our very best to be just like her so that we can instill those values in our own children.

I do not remember when and why my father disappeared from our life, but I do remember that we have never felt his absence because my mother was always there for us through good times and bad times. My mother Enriqueta F. Garcia has three children, all girls. Throughout the years of raising us, she has been the source of love and strength for us girls. She is an amazing woman who performs the double role of a mother and a father, holds a full-time job, and still manages to tend to all our needs.

First, my mother has always been both a Mom and a Dad to us since we were little. Like a father, she 1brings in the money, 2pays the bills, 3sets the rules, and 4disciplines us whenever it is needed. But even though she is 5rough and tough, she 6has a loving and tender heart. Like all mothers, she 7bandages our wounds, 8gives us kisses,9talks “girl talk” to us, or 10simply holds us when we want to be held. In short, despite the absence of my father, we have never felt that emotional void because my mother has been doing an outstanding job of filling both a mother’s and a father’s role.

In conclusion, as one can see, thanks to our mother, our father’s absence from our world was never a painful issue for my sisters and me. My mother is a strong, loving woman who, amazingly, has been both a Mom and a Dad to us as well as being a competent accountant and compassionate caregiver. Her giving spirit and dedication to her work and family have been an inspiration to us, and we will try our very best to be just like her so that we can instill those values in our own children.

Then, my mother holds a full-time job to afford our daily life. ……......... ……………………………………………………………………………………............................................

Third, she still manages to tend to all our needs. …………………….............……………………………………………………………………………………….........................................