examples of writing a 5 paragraph essay

Life123.com

• Home & Garden
• Relationships
• Celebrations

Master the Five-Paragraph Essay

The five-paragraph essay is one of the most common composition assignments out there, whether for high school or college students. It is a classic assignment because it presents an arena in which writers can demonstrate their command of language and punctuation, as well as their logic and rhetorical skills. These skills are useful not only for classroom assignments and college application essays, but even in the business world, as employees have to write memorandums and reports, which draw on the same skills.

Mastering the five-paragraph essay is doable, and here are some tips.

Components of a Good Essay

The five-paragraph essay lives up to its name, because is has five paragraphs, as follows: an introductory paragraph that includes a thesis, three body paragraphs, each which includes support and development, and one concluding paragraph.

Its structure sometimes generates other names for the same essay, including three-tier essay, one-three-one, or a hamburger essay. Whether you are writing a cause-and-effect essay, a persuasive essay, an argumentative essay or a compare-and-contrast essay, you should use this same structure and the following specifics.

Keys to Introductory Paragraphs

Any introductory paragraph contains from three to five sentences and sets up the tone and structure for the whole essay. The first sentence should be a so-called hook sentence and grabs the reader. Examples of hook sentences include a quote, a joke, a rhetorical question or a shocking fact. This is the sentence that will keep your readers reading. Draw them in.

What Makes a Thesis Statement

The last sentence should be your thesis statement, which is the argument you are going to make in the essay. It is the sentence that contains the main point of the essay, or what you are trying to prove. It should be your strongest claim in the whole essay, telling the reader what the paper is about. You should be able to look back at it to keep your argument focused. The other sentences in this paragraph should be general information that links the first sentence and the thesis.

Content of Supporting Paragraphs

Each of the next three paragraphs follows the same general structure of the introductory paragraph. That is, they have one introduction sentence, evidence and arguments in three to five sentences, and a conclusion. Each one of them should define and defend your thesis sentence in the introduction.

The first body paragraph should be dedicated to proving your most powerful point. The second body paragraph can contain your weakest point, because the third body paragraph can, and should, support another strong argument.

Concluding Paragraph Tips

Your concluding paragraph is important, and can be difficult. Ideally, you can begin by restating your thesis. Then you can recall or restate all three to five of your supporting arguments. You should summarize each main point. If you have made similar arguments multiple times, join those together in one sentence.

Essentially, in the concluding or fifth paragraph, you should restate what your preceding paragraphs were about and draw a conclusion. It should answer the question: So what? Even if the answer seems obvious to you, write it down so that your reader can continue to easily follow your thinking process, and hopefully, agree with you.

A Note on Compare and Contrast

Let’s look a little more closely at the compare-and-contrast essay, which is a very common assignment. It can be a confusing one due to the terms used. Comparing two items is to show how they are alike. Contrasting two items is to show how they are different. One way to approach this essay is to make a grid for yourself that compares or contrasts two items before you start writing. Then, write about those characteristics. Do not try to write about both. The name of the essay is actually misleading.

Keep these pointers in mind when you need to write a five-paragraph essay, and your end result will be clear in its argument, leading your reader to the right conclusion. Often, that conclusion is to agree with you, and who doesn’t like to be right?

MORE FROM LIFE123.COM

• Transcripts
• Cost & Tuition

A Sample Five-Paragraph Essay

The Benefits of Regular Exercise

by Bette Latta, Professor of English, University of Tennessee

Oppgaver og aktiviteter

Tasks: sample five paragraph essay.

When writing an essay, you should always look for ways to grab and keep your readers' attention. There is not always a set answer to how you can achieve this, but there are some elements that should always be included in a well-balanced text.

Do you know the terms 'hook', 'bridge', 'thesis statement', and 'topic sentence'? If not, you may want to go through the following articles about introductions, body paragraphs and conclusions before you work with this text.

Writing introduction paragraphs (NDLA) Writing body paragraphs (NDLA) Writing conclusion paragraphs (NDLA)

There are many ways to write a good and convincing text, and it often takes years of practice before you master the art of writing a well-balanced essay. Below, you will find a short five-paragraph essay that may help you identify important elements that should be included in a text. These elements will help you communicate well with the reader. Go through the text before you discuss the questions in groups or in class.

Sample text:

Why is it so important to master English as a second language?

According to the EF English Proficiency Index, Norway ranks number five on the list of countries with the highest proficiency of English as a second language. In general, the Norwegian population master the language well, and most young people today understand the importance of learning English in school. Still, we often see Norwegian secondary school students choose other subjects over English as soon as they have a choice. English is often regarded as an ‘easy’ language that ‘everyone’ can speak, and other subjects therefore take priority. However, it is important not to underestimate the level of English proficiency that is required of you later in life and the benefits that come with a good command of English.

First, English is essential if you are going to succeed as a student. A majority of the books used at the university are in English. Moreover, since there now are many international students studying in Norway, you will also find that many of the lectures will be in English. Also, several students choose to do all or parts of their studies abroad, often in English-speaking countries, and a lack of English knowledge would therefore rob you of great opportunities. The academic English that is used in tertiary education is fairly complex and can be a real challenge for anyone who does not have thorough knowledge of the language. It is therefore important to come prepared when you start university.

As you move from student life to a professional life, you will also find that English will be of great importance. English is today the language of science, aviation, technology, diplomacy, business, and tourism, and more and more international companies are using English as their language of communication. You will also find that many Norwegian businesses will use English as their working language, both when speaking and writing. Therefore, if you know English well, it will expand your possibilities on the job market and increase your chances of getting a good job in an international company in Norway or abroad.

Moreover, a great benefit to learning English is that it increases your cultural understanding of native English-speaking countries, but also of other countries whose second language is English. Traditions and cultures of other countries can be better understood if you have a thorough understanding of the language. In our globalised world, cultural competence is more important than ever, as it may create friendships and business relationships across borders.

The benefits of knowing English are clearly numerous. We know that a good command of the language may be the ticket to an interesting career and a well-paid job. The language may also be a door opener for better understanding across cultures, religions, and state borders. Even though most Norwegians do master English quite well, many people tend to overestimate their language competence. It takes more than a general knowledge of English to be able to fully participate in the multicultural, global community we live in. So use every chance you have to improve your understanding of and competence in English – it will benefit you later in life.

Do you think this is a good essay? Are there any parts that you find unclear or unstructured? If you were writing the essay, what would you have done differently?

In the beginning of a text, it is important that you somehow manage to grab the reader's attention. This is called a 'hook'. What kind of hook is used in the beginning of this text? Is this an efficient attention grabber?

Individual work: spend a few minutes rewriting the first part of the introduction, using a different type of hook. Compare and discuss which one you find most effective.

Identify the bridge sentences in the introduction. Why are these sentences important?

A thesis statement is a sentence that clearly identifies the topic being discussed in the text. What would you say is the thesis statement of this text?

What is the aim of a topic sentence? Identify the topic sentences of this text. What is the aim of the supporting sentences that follow the topic sentence in a paragraph?

A good conclusion should do three things: answer your thesis question, link ideas together, and end the essay in a rounded way that gives the reader a feeling of closure. To what extent would you say that this is a good conclusion?Would you have done anything differently?

How are the different paragraphs linked to each other? Comment on the transitions between paragraphs.

In the text below, we have removed all linking words and other linking devices from the first two paragraphs of the text. Compare this text to the original text and explain the effect of linking words.

Relatert innhold

• Writing Introduction Paragraphs

An article that will help you write a good introduction to your essay.

• Writing Conclusion Paragraphs

How can you write a good conclusion?

Regler for bruk

Læringsressurser.

Text Development

• How to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay
• Writing Body Paragraphs
• What is a Reliable Source?
• Referencing Sources
• Quoting Sources
• A Teenager's Guide to the Bookshelf: Literary Analysis
• Short Films about Literary Analysis
• How to Analyse a Short Story
• Example of Short Story Analysis
• How to Analyse a Poem
• Common Poetic Devices
• Example of poetry analysis: An analysis of the poem "R & B" by Patience Agbabi
• How to Analyse a Film
• How to Write a Film Review
• Example of a Film Review
• How to Write a Newspaper Article
• How to Write a Letter to the Editor
• How to Make a Good Presentation
• How to Make a Good Speech
• Creating Your Own Short Story
• Tips for the in-Depth Study Project
• Tasks: Sample Five Paragraph Essay Du er her
• Tasks: Writing Introduction Paragraphs
• Tasks: Writing Body Paragraphs
• Tasks: Writing Conclusion Paragraphs
• Tasks: Using Linking Words In Your Writing
• Tasks: How to Make a Good Speech
• Tasks: Example of poetry analysis
• Listening Activity: How to Make a Mini-Presentation

Find Study Materials for

Business studies, combined science, computer science, english literature, environmental science, human geography, macroeconomics, microeconomics.

• Social Studies
• Browse all subjects
• Exam Revision
• Career Advice for Students
• Student Life
• Study Guide
• University Advice
• Read our Magazine

Create Study Materials

Select your language

Every essay is an opportunity to share an original idea on a subject about which you have some knowledge. Sometimes you only just gained that knowledge—as in a free response question paired with a reading segment during an exam—and other times you’ll be writing about a subject that you have…

Explore our app and discover over 50 million learning materials for free.

5 Paragraph Essay

Want to get better grades, get free, full access to:.

• Explanations
• Study Planner
• Textbook solutions
• StudySmarter AI
• Textbook Solutions
• A Hook for an Essay
• Body Paragraph
• Essay Outline
• Language Used in Academic Writing
• MHRA Referencing
• Opinion vs Fact
• Works Cited
• Emotional Arguments in Essays
• Ethical Arguments in Essays
• Logical Arguments in Essays
• The Argument
• Writing an Argumentative Essay
• Image Caption
• Microblogging
• Personal Blog
• Professional Blog
• Syntactical
• Anaphoric Reference
• Backchannels
• Cataphoric Reference
• Conversation Analysis
• Discourse Analysis
• Discourse Markers
• Endophoric Reference
• Exophoric Reference
• Interruption
• John Swales Discourse Communities
• Metalinguistics
• Paralinguistics
• Turn-taking
• Email Closings
• Email Introduction
• Email Salutation
• Email Signature
• Email Subject Lines
• Formal Email
• Informal Email
• Active Voice
• Adjective Phrase
• Adverb Phrase
• Adverbials For Time
• Adverbials of Frequency
• Auxilary Verbs
• Complex Sentence
• Compound Adjectives
• Compound Sentence
• Conditional Sentences
• Conjugation
• Conjunction
• Coordinating Conjunctions
• Copula Verbs
• Correlative Conjunctions
• Dangling Participle
• Declaratives
• Demonstrative Pronouns
• Dependent Clause
• Descriptive Adjectives
• Distributives
• Exclamatives
• Finite Verbs
• First Conditional
• Functions of Language
• Future Progressive Tense
• Future Tense
• Generative Grammar
• Grammatical Mood
• Grammatical Voices
• Imperative Mood
• Imperative Verbs
• Imperatives
• Indefinite Pronouns
• Independent Clause
• Indicative Mood
• Infinitive Mood
• Infinitive Phrases
• Interjections
• Interrogative Mood
• Interrogatives
• Irregular Verbs
• Linking Verb
• Misplaced Modifiers
• Modal Verbs
• Noun Phrase
• Objective Case
• Optative Mood
• Passive Voice
• Past Perfect Tense
• Perfect Aspect
• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Adjectives
• Possessive Pronouns
• Potential Mood
• Preposition
• Prepositional Phrase
• Prepositions of Place
• Prepositions of Time
• Present Participle
• Present Perfect Progressive
• Present Perfect Tense
• Present Tense
• Progressive Aspect
• Proper Adjectives
• Quantifiers
• Reflexive Pronouns
• Relative Clause
• Relative Pronouns
• Second Conditional
• Sentence Functions
• Simple Future Tense
• Simple Sentence
• Subjunctive Mood
• Subordinating Conjunctions
• Superlative Adjectives
• Third Conditional
• Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
• Types of Phrases
• Types of Sentence
• Verb Phrase
• Vocative Case
• Zero Conditional
• Academic English
• Anglo Saxon Roots and Prefixes
• Bilingual Dictionaries
• Contractions
• English Dictionaries
• English Vocabulary
• Greek Roots, Suffixes and Prefixes
• Latin Roots, Suffixes and Prefixes
• Modern English
• Object category
• Parentheses
• Possessives
• Regional Dialects
• Rhyming Dictionary
• Sentence Fragments
• Social Dialects
• Subject Predicate Relationship
• Subject Verb Agreement
• Word Pronunciation
• Essay Time Management
• How To Take a Position in an Essay
• Organize Your Prompt
• Proofread Essay
• Understanding the Prompt
• Analytical Essay
• Cause and Effect Essay
• Chat GPT Prompts For Literature Essays
• Claims and Evidence
• Descriptive Essay
• Expository Essay
• Narrative Essay
• Persuasive Essay
• The Best Chat GPT Prompts For Essay Writing
• Essay Sources and Presenting Research
• Essay Structure
• Essay Topic

Introduction

• Point Evidence Explain
• Referencing
• Research Question
• Sources of Data Collection
• Transcribing Spoken Data
• African American English
• African Countries Speaking English
• American English Vs British English
• Australian English
• British Accents
• British Sign Language
• Communicative Language Teaching
• English in Eu
• Guided Discovery
• Indian English
• Lesson Plan
• Received Pronunciation
• Total Physical Response
• Abbreviations
• Advise vs Advice
• Affect or Effect
• Capitalisation
• Inverted commas
• Loosing or Losing
• Multimodal Texts
• Orthographic Features
• Practice or Practise
• Punctuation
• Separate vs Seperate
• Typographical Features
• Comparative Method
• Conventions of Standard English
• Early Modern English
• Great Vowel Shift
• Historical Development
• Inflectional Morphemes
• Irish English
• King James Bible
• Language Family
• Language Isolate
• Middle English
• Middle English Examples
• Noah Webster Dictionary
• Old English Language
• Old English Texts
• Old English Translation
• Piers Plowman
• Proto Language
• Samuel Johnson Dictionary
• Scottish English
• Shakespearean English
• Welsh English
• Accent vs Dialect
• Bilingualism
• Code Switching
• Descriptivism
• Descriptivism vs Prescriptivism
• Dialect Levelling
• English as a lingua franca
• Kachru's 3 Concentric Circles
• Language Changes
• Pidgin and Creole
• Prescriptivism
• Rhotic Accent
• Social Interaction
• Standard English
• Standardisation of English
• Strevens Model of English
• Technological Determinism
• Vernacular English
• World Englishes
• Language Stereotypes
• Language and Politics
• Language and Power
• Language and Technology
• Media Linguistics
• Michel Foucault Discourse Theory
• Multimodality
• Norman Fairclough
• Agrammatism
• Behavioral Theory
• Cognitive Theory
• Constructivism
• Critical Period
• Developmental Language Disorder
• Down Syndrome Language
• Functional Basis of Language
• Interactionist Theory
• Language Acquisition Device (LAD)
• Language Acquisition Support System
• Language Acquisition in Children
• Michael Halliday
• Multiword Stage
• One-Word stage
• Specific Language Impairments
• Theories of Language Acquisition
• Two-Word Stage
• Williams Syndrome
• Foregrounding
• Grammatical Voice
• Literariness
• Literary Context
• Literary Purpose
• Literary Representation
• Mode English Language
• Narrative Perspective
• Poetic Voice
• Accommodation Theory
• Bernstein Elaborated and Restricted Code
• Casual Register
• Concept of Face
• Consultative Register
• Deficit Approach
• Difference Approach
• Diversity Approach
• Dominance Approach
• Drew and Heritage Institutional Talk
• Eckert Jocks and Burnouts
• Formal Register
• Frozen Register
• Gary Ives Bradford Study
• Holmes Code Switching
• Intimate Register
• Labov- New York Department Store Study
• Language and Age
• Language and Class
• Language and Ethnicity
• Language and Gender
• Language and Identity
• Language and Occupation
• Marked and Unmarked Terms
• Neutral Register
• Peter Trudgill- Norwich Study
• Phatic Talk and Banter
• Register and Style
• Sinclair and Coulthard
• Social Network Theory
• Sociolect vs Idiolect
• Variety vs Standard English
• Amelioration
• Collocations
• Colloquialisms
• Compounding
• Connotative Meaning
• Denotative Meaning
• Figurative Language
• Fixed Expressions
• Formal Language
• Informal Language
• Initialisms
• Irony English Language
• Language Structure
• Levels of Formality
• Lexical Ambiguity
• Literary Positioning
• Occupational Register
• Paradigmatic Relations
• Personification
• Prototype Theory
• Rhetorical Figures
• Semantic Analysis
• Semantic Change
• Semantic Reclamation
• Syntagmatic Relations
• Text Structure
• Zero-Derivation
• 1984 Newspeak
• Analytical Techniques
• Applied Linguistics
• Computational Linguistics
• Corpus Linguistics
• Critical Theory
• Essentialism
• Forensic Linguistics
• Language Comprehension
• Lexicography
• Linguistic Determinism
• Logical Positivism
• Machine Translation
• Natural Language Processing
• Neural Networks
• Neurolinguistics
• Psycholinguistics
• Rhetorical Analysis
• Sapir Whorf Hypothesis
• Speech Recognition
• Active Listening Skills
• Address Counterclaims
• Group Discussion
• Presentation Skills
• Presentation Technology
• Agglutinating Languages
• Alternation
• Compound Words
• Derivational Morphemes
• Grammatical Morphemes
• Lexical Morphology
• Morphosyntax
• Polysynthetic Languages
• Reduplication
• Active Reading
• Process of Elimination
• Words in Context
• Click Consonants
• Fundamental Frequency
• Interdental
• International Phonetic Alphabet
• Labiodental
• Manner of Articulation
• Monophthong
• Nasal Sound
• Oral Cavity
• Phonetic Accommodation
• Phonetic Assimilation
• Place of Articulation
• Sound Spectrum
• Source Filter Theory
• Spectrogram
• Voice Articulation
• Vowel Chart
• Alliteration
• Complementary Distribution
• Phonotactics
• Sound Symbolisms
• Commissives
• Communication Accommodation Theory
• Conversational Implicature
• Cooperative Principle
• Declarative
• Definiteness
• Deictic centre
• Deictic expressions
• Expressives
• Figure of Speech
• Grice's Conversational Maxims
• Indexicality
• Paralanguage
• Politeness Theory
• Presupposition
• Semantics vs. Pragmatics
• Speech Acts
• Aggressive vs Friendly Tone
• Curious vs Encouraging Tone
• Dissimilation
• Feminine Rhyme
• Hypocritical vs Cooperative Tone
• Masculine Rhyme
• Monosyllabic Rhyme
• Multisyllabic
• Optimistic vs Worried Tone
• Serious vs Humorous Tone
• Stress of a Word
• Suprasegmental
• Surprised Tone
• Tone English Langugage
• Analyzing Informational Texts
• Comparing Texts
• Context Cues
• Creative Writing
• Digital Resources
• Ethical Issues In Data Collection
• Formulate Questions
• Internet Search Engines
• Literary Analysis
• Personal Writing
• Print Resources
• Research Process
• Research and Analysis
• Technical Writing
• Action Verbs
• Adjectival Clause
• Adverbial Clause
• Anthropomorphism
• Appositive Phrase
• Argument from Authority
• Argumentation
• Auditory Description
• Basic Rhetorical Modes
• Begging the Question
• Building Credibility
• Causal Flaw
• Causal Relationships
• Cause and Effect Rhetorical Mode
• Central Idea
• Chronological Description
• Circular Reasoning
• Circumlocution
• Classical Appeals
• Classification
• Close Reading
• Coherence Between Sentences
• Coherence within Paragraphs
• Coherences within Sentences
• Complex Rhetorical Modes
• Compound Complex Sentences
• Concessions
• Concrete Adjectives
• Concrete Nouns
• Consistent Voice
• Counter Argument
• Definition by Negation
• Description
• Description Rhetorical mode
• Direct Discourse
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• False Connections
• False Dichotomy
• False Equivalence
• Faulty Analogy
• Faulty Causality
• Fear Arousing
• Gustatory Description
• Hasty Generalization
• Illustration
• Induction Rhetoric
• Levels of Coherence
• Line of Reasoning
• Missing the Point
• Modifiers that Qualify
• Modifiers that Specify
• Narration Rhetorical Mode
• Non-Sequitur
• Non-Testable Hypothesis
• Objective Description
• Olfactory Description
• Paragraphing
• Parenthetical Element
• Participial Phrase
• Personal Narrative
• Placement of Modifiers
• Post-Hoc Argument
• Process Analysis Rhetorical Mode
• Red Herring
• Reverse Causation
• Rhetorical Fallacy
• Rhetorical Modes
• Rhetorical Question
• Rhetorical Situation
• Scare Tactics
• Sentimental Appeals
• Situational Irony
• Slippery Slope
• Spatial Description
• Straw Man Argument
• Subject Consistency
• Subjective Description
• Tactile Description
• Tense Consistency
• Tone and Word Choice
• Transitions
• Twisting the Language Around
• Unstated Assumption
• Verbal Irony
• Visual Description
• Authorial Intent
• Authors Technique
• Language Choice
• Prompt Audience
• Prompt Purpose
• Rhetorical Strategies
• Understanding Your Audience
• Auditory Imagery
• Gustatory Imagery
• Olfactory Imagery
• Tactile Imagery
• Main Idea and Supporting Detail
• Statistical Evidence
• Communities of Practice
• Cultural Competence
• Gender Politics
• Heteroglossia
• Intercultural Communication
• Methodology
• Research Methodology
• Constituent
• Object Subject Verb
• Subject Verb Object
• Syntactic Structures
• Universal Grammar
• Verb Subject Object
• Author Authority
• Direct Quote
• First Paragraph
• Historical Context
• Intended Audience
• Primary Source
• Second Paragraph
• Secondary Source
• Source Material
• Third Paragraph
• Character Analysis
• Citation Analysis
• Text Structure Analysis
• Vocabulary Assessment

Save the explanation now and read when you’ve got time to spare.

Lerne mit deinen Freunden und bleibe auf dem richtigen Kurs mit deinen persönlichen Lernstatistiken

Nie wieder prokastinieren mit unseren Lernerinnerungen.

Every essay is an opportunity to share an original idea on a subject about which you have some knowledge. Sometimes you only just gained that knowledge—as in a free response question paired with a reading segment during an exam—and other times you’ll be writing about a subject that you have studied for years and know like the back of your hand. In either case, writing a five-paragraph essay can serve as a useful tool for communicating your thoughts to an academic audience.

5 Paragraph Essay: What Is It?

A five-paragraph essay is a prose composition that follows the basic structure of five paragraphs. It includes an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Often critiqued for being too formulaic, the five-paragraph essay is an essential tool in every writer's toolkit and is especially handy on timed writing assignments and exams.

Why is this format best for writing timed essays? During an exam, you might be asked to write an essay, and you may have only just learned some of the details about the subject. You likely won’t have time to draft a uniquely formatted, in-depth analysis in the time you are given. That’s where the five-paragraph structure comes into play; you can use it as a vehicle to get your main idea across to the reader and not spend precious time on how to structure your essay.

This essay format can also be thought of as a building block for almost every type of essay you could write. It is built on a thesis statement and uses the main pieces of support, which are formatted into segments (or paragraphs), to uphold your thesis. This approach can be expanded based on however much support or analysis is appropriate for your essay.

The key principle of this familiar structure is to organize your perspective or claim in a way that is logical and easy for your reader to understand.

You can use the five-paragraph format for writing any of the five styles of essay: argumentative, descriptive, narrative, informative, and persuasive. Think of this approach as not merely an essay structure, but also a means to adapt your writing and strengthen your composition skills for any future assignment.

5 Paragraph Essay Structure

Sometimes the five-paragraph essay is referred to as the hamburger of essays. That’s not because it’s cheesy, but rather because of how it is built—like a hamburger with a beginning (bun), middle segmented into separate parts (hamburger patty, lettuce, condiments, etc.), and end (bun).

Below is the basic structure of a five-paragraph essay:

Background information

Body paragraph 1

Topic sentence

Supporting details

Body paragraph 2

Body paragraph 3

Rephrased Thesis

Call to action

The paragraphs below break down each section to show how it functions within the whole essay.

The introduction serves several purposes, all of which are important and should not be forgotten or glossed-over. Remember, this is the "bun" to the hamburger and without it, the whole thing falls apart. The introduction starts with a statement to get your readers’ attention—this is called a hook .

A hook can take the form of a question, quote, statistic, or anecdote; it grabs your reader and pulls their interest into the topic.

Hook as a Question: Have you ever stood at the edge of the crashing waves in the ocean and wondered how far out it goes?

Hook as a Quote: Clarence Joshua Tuttle once said, “Why do we call this planet Earth, when it would more aptly be called Ocean?"

Hook as a Statistic: About 71% of the face of the earth is covered by water, and the oceans hold about 96.5% of earth’s water.

Hook as an Anecdote: As a child, I used to gaze at the line where the horizon met the sea and wonder how it could stretch on for infinity.

In addition to the hook catching your reader’s attention, your introduction should also contain background information on the topic to give your reader context.

Without some kind of explanation about the topic’s background, you risk your reader not having the full picture, or worse, not understanding what you’re talking about at all.

You don’t have to include too much background explanation for your five-paragraph essay. Usually a couple of sentences will suffice to give the necessary context.

Lastly, your introduction needs your thesis statement, which is arguably the most important part of the essay.

Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a single sentence that explains your main argument for the entire essay. You don’t have to pack every point you’re going to make into the thesis, but your thesis should be a clarified version of the main point.

The vast majority of our planet is covered in water, so there needs to be more awareness about the impact of global warming on Earth's oceans and the wildlife therein.

The thesis should be stated near the end of the first paragraph. It should be supported by details and evidence in the following paragraphs.

3 Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs are the meat of your five-paragraph essay (literally, remember the hamburger—the body paragraphs are the juicy middle). You can use more than three paragraphs if you have more points that need to be discussed, but typically no less than three.

You can consider each of your body paragraphs to be one piece of support for your thesis. The first sentence of each paragraph should be the topic sentence for that paragraph, and can act like a mini-thesis. It will state the main idea of that particular paragraph, and the rest of the paragraph will dive into further explanation by including examples and supporting details.

Your body paragraphs should look something like this:

Paragraph 1: First piece of support

Paragraph 2: Second piece of support

Paragraph 3: Third piece of support

Your five-paragraph essay should not end abruptly; it should include a short summary that will wrap up your argument and/or observation on the topic, just like the bottom bun of the hamburger. Provide a brief summary, and then remind your audience of your thesis statement.

By restating or rephrasing your thesis, you are reminding your audience that in the body of the essay you explained everything you said you would way back in your introduction.

The last thing your conclusion needs is something to bring the topic back into the reader’s world. Make them remember why it’s relevant. This could be a call to action, warning, provocative question, or something to evoke emotion in the reader.

Because of [insert main idea], you should take [X] action.

If you (or we) don’t do [X thing], [X consequence] will happen.

Provocative question

What do you think will happen if [X] continues (or ceases. Whatever is relevant to your main point.)?

Evocative statement

Could be a quote or anything you think will stir the emotions of the reader on the subject.

How to Make a 5 Paragraph Essay Outline

With the basic structure of a five-paragraph essay in mind, you can begin the process of making an outline.

An outline is simply a plan for your essay, and it’s important to create one so you know how to organize your ideas. Without an outline, you’re likely to ramble or wander all over your topic without fully developing your main point.

Below are the essential steps to drafting an outline for your five paragraph essay.

The first thing you need to do is brainstorm the topic; look for associations you may already have and keep the assignment or prompt in the front of your mind.

How to brainstorm a topic: Brainstorming is a strategy for coming up with ideas and content for your essay. Brainstorming can be anything from creating word associations, to freewriting, to making lists, to drawing a venn diagram, or whatever makes sense for you so that you can break down the topic and pick out what you have to say.

Sort through whatever you come up with in the brainstorming process, and pick out something that you find important or something you can elaborate.

Next, you need to draft a thesis statement. As previously stated, your thesis is the guide for your essay—especially so in a five-paragraph essay—because your thesis introduces the ideas of your body paragraphs.

Take whatever piece of the puzzle you came up with after brainstorming, and work it into a single statement that makes a claim on the topic.

The thesis statement of your five-paragraph essay should contain a claim of some sort about the subject. It should an original thought, and not be a restating of known facts.

Now, apply the basic structure of a five-paragraph essay to your topic. An outline typically uses numbers as a way to organize the essay. Each point can be a key word or phrase; you don’t need to use whole sentences in an outline.

Organize the paragraphs by the main points that support your thesis, then include subpoints, or pieces of evidence, to explain the topic sentence of that paragraph.

5 Paragraph Essay Example: The Outline

Here’s an example of a five-paragraph essay outline:

Hook: Children are no longer growing up walking to the candy store around the corner or sharing root beer floats at the local diner with kids they’ve known their entire lives. They aren’t even growing up in an innocent world like when Super Mario Brothers was the most popular video game.

Background: The world has changed rapidly in the last fifty years.

Thesis : Because of violence in video games, movies, social media, and increased pressure from peers, being a parent today is much more difficult than it was a generation ago.

Topic sentence: The progression of technology has given children more entertainment, but it has also decreased their attention spans, making it much more difficult to keep them on task.

Supporting detail: Music, video games, and social media are all easily accessible on phones or computers.

Supporting detail: Research shows that excessive screen time for children can drastically affect their attention span and even brain development.

Topic sentence: Not only do parents have to be aware of the effects of constant screen usage, it means they must also be vigilant about their children being exposed to inappropriate material.

Supporting detail: In film

Supporting detail: On television

Supporting detail: Online

Topic sentence: Children are now often exposed to dangerous situations during their daily lives or via the media.

Supporting detail: Access to drugs & alcohol

Supporting detail: Violent crimes (school shootings, etc.)

Rephrased Thesis statement : Society and media have a huge impact on children’s lives and have worked together to make parenting extremely difficult, now more than ever.

Call to action: Because of these changes, it is up to parents to remain present so we can be aware of and sensitive to all these challenges facing our children.

Writing a 5 Paragraph Essay

With your outline in hand, it’s now time to write your five-paragraph essay! The beauty of this process is that your argument is now fully mapped out, and you know exactly what you need to say.

The first thing to do is nail down your thesis statement . Again, the body of your essay hinges on the main point contained in your essay, so you need to be certain of that before you proceed. Next, you can start to put together your body paragraphs.

5 Paragraph Essay Transitions

Be sure you include transitions between paragraphs, otherwise, your essay will feel very robotic and will not be enjoyable to read. Transitions help to show the relationship between thoughts as you move from one to another.

You can use simple transitions (i.e. first, next, and last); or use phrases to show similarity (i.e. also, in the same way, likewise, just as, etc.) and/ or differences (i.e. but, however, in spite of, etc.).

A Note on The Limits of the 5 Paragraph Essay

Remember, there is often more to your topic than can be explained in a five-paragraph essay. That’s why these essays are a great tool for exam essays; you simply won’t have the time to complete an exhaustive analysis, so the five-paragraph essay is the next best choice.

Keep this perspective in mind and remember that however brilliant your essay is, it is not the end-all-be-all on the subject. The five-paragraph essay is, however, an excellent vehicle you can use to explain your original thought on a subject in an organized manner.

5 Page Essay - Key takeaways

• A five paragraph-essay follows the basic structure of five paragraphs: an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Five-paragraph essays are a great tool for timed writing assignments and exams, but can also be used as a foundation for any type of essay.
• Start writing a five-paragraph essay by creating a thesis statement .
• Each body paragraph is one piece of support for the essay's thesis . They should each have a topic sentence, or main idea , that is in support of the overall thesis .
• The conclusion of a five-paragraph essay is important because it restates the thesis and then makes the subject personal to the reader.

Frequently Asked Questions about 5 Paragraph Essay

--> how do i write a 5 paragraph essay.

Write a 5 paragraph essay by following the basic structure: introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

--> How long is a 5 paragraph essay?

A 5 paragraph essay can be anywhere from one to one hundred pages; it all depends on how much you need to support your thesis statement. 

--> How many words are in a 5 paragraph essay?

A 5 paragraph essay can contain as many words as necessary to fully support and explain your main point, or your thesis.

--> How many topic sentences are in a 5 paragraph essay?

Typically, a 5 paragraph essay will contain 4 topic sentences with one of them being the thesis statement, and the other 3 being the topic sentences of the body paragraphs. 

--> What does a 5 paragraph essay look like?

A 5 paragraph essay can look very different from one essay to the next, however they will all follow the basic structure of the five paragraphs: introduction, (at least) 3 supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. 

Final 5 Paragraph Essay Quiz

5 paragraph essay quiz - teste dein wissen.

What is the definition of a five-paragraph essay?

Show answer

A five-paragraph essay is a prose composition that follows the basic structure of five paragraphs that include an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Show question

Why are five-paragraph essays a good choice for timed exam assignments?

During an exam, you likely won’t have time to draft a uniquely formatted, in-depth analysis in the time you are given. 

True or false: Five-paragraph essays can also be used to write argumentative, descriptive, narrative, informative, and/ or persuasive essays.

Fill in the blank: The key principle of the five-paragraph structure is to ___________ your perspective or claim in a way that is logical and easy for your reader to understand.

Why is the five-paragraph essay often referred to as a "hamburger" essay style?

Because of how it is built; like a hamburger with a definite beginning (bun), middle segmented into separate parts (hamburger patty, lettuce, condiments, etc.), and end (bun).

Which paragraph in a five-paragraph essay contains the hook?

Which is arguably the most important part of a five-paragraph essay?

Thesis statement

True or false: In a five-paragraph essay, you should always devote one entire paragraph to a background explanation of the topic.

In a five-paragraph essay, is it possible to use more  than five paragraphs or less  than five paragraphs?

Which of the following is not  a strategy to concluding a five-paragraph essay?

_____________  is a plan for your essay, and it’s important to create one so you know how to organize your ideas.

What are some examples of brainstorming exercises?

Word association, freewriting, making lists 

Why brainstorm your topic before you begin writing?

Brainstorming can give ideas about how the topic relates to you (the writer) and what you might have to say about it

Should you brainstorm before or after you create a thesis statement?

Which of the following is an example of a transition to show similarity?

Why are transitions necessary between ideas and paragraphs in a five-paragraph essay?

Transitions help to show the relationship between thoughts as you move from one to another.

What is structure in an essay?

The structure of an essay is the arrangement of the essay's paragraphs. The structure organizes the essay into distinct parts to make it easy to read.

What does the basic structure of a 5-paragraph essay include?

introduction

What does an introduction include?

What does one use a hook for?

One uses a hook to capture the reader's attention.

What are some ideas for hooks? 

an interesting question

What kind of background information can be included in an introduction?

names of texts and authors being analyzed or compared

What is a thesis statement ?

A thesis statement is a one-sentence summary of the main point of an essay. It tells the reader what the argument or idea is before going into detail. 

True or false: 

The first paragraph of an essay should include the most important point of the essay.

True! The first paragraph should start the essay off strong.

What should each body paragraph of a 5-paragraph cover?

a different aspect of the main idea

What should the second body paragraph of a 5-paragraph essay cover? 

The second body paragraph should cover the second strongest argument or second most important point of the essay.

What should the third body paragraph of a 5-paragraph essay cover?

the least important idea of the essay

True or False:

Because the third body paragraph covers the least important idea of an essay, it's not really necessary.

False. The third body paragraph is a chance to reinforce the ideas of the first and second paragraphs by building on them.

What are the elements of a good conclusion?

A summary of the main points

What is the purpose  of an essay?

The purpose of an essay is the effect a writer intends to have on the reader. It's the one thing the writer wants the reader to walk away from the essay feeling, thinking, or knowing.

When using an argument/persuasion outline,  what should each body paragraph cover?

a different reason for the argument

A writer covers a different characteristic of a text in their body paragraphs. What type of outline are they using?

analysis outline

What does chronological  mean?

Chronological means arranging events in the order in which they happened. Chronologies tell a story of what happened over time.

An intro paragraph is the first paragraph of an essay. It grabs the reader's attention, introduces the essay topic, and states the essay's _____.

What are some other words for  intro paragraph?

What are the elements of an intro paragraph?

A hook  is a sentence that _____ the reader's attention. 

Where does the hook appear in an intro paragraph?

the first sentence

A writer starts an essay with the following hook: Could you imagine a world without television?

What type of hook is this an example of?

interesting question

When sharing an important story for a hook, one must tell only stories that come from personal experience.

False. An important story can be a personal experience or a story from the news, popular culture, or any other source.

What is the purpose of using a shocking fact or statistic for a hook?

The purpose of using a shocking fact or statistic for a hook is to shock the reader so they want to learn more.

In an essay, the writer describes a moment where they were caught up in a state of flow. What type of hook is this an example of?

vivid description

True or false:

A memorable quote should always come from someone famous.

False: A memorable quote can come from a person who is famous or not famous. The quote is what matters!

A strong statement is an effective hook whether the reader disagrees with the statement or not.

True! They might not agree with the statement, but they will want to see how the writer supports it.

How many sentences should one use for background information in an intro paragraph?

two to four

What is the thesis statement  of an intro paragraph?

The thesis statement  is one sentence that states the main idea of the essay. Think of it as the sentence that tells the reader what they are about to learn about the topic.

Where does the thesis statement appear in an intro paragraph?

The thesis statement appears at the end of the intro paragraph. It should be the last thing the reader sees before moving on to the body paragraphs.

The background information of an intro paragraph should connect to the thesis statement.

True! The two should make sense together. 

What is an opinion?

Opinion is a personal conjecture.

Should you use an opinion to support your thesis?

Test your knowledge with multiple choice flashcards

Your score:

Join the StudySmarter App and learn efficiently with millions of flashcards and more!

Learn with 50 5 paragraph essay flashcards in the free studysmarter app.

Already have an account? Log in

Save explanations that you love in your personalised space, Access Anytime, Anywhere!

• Language Acquisition
• History of English Language
• Key Concepts in Language and Linguistics
• Cues and Conventions

of the users don't pass the 5 Paragraph Essay quiz! Will you pass the quiz?

How would you like to learn this content?

Free english cheat sheet!

Everything you need to know on . A perfect summary so you can easily remember everything.

More explanations about 5 Paragraph Essay

Discover the right content for your subjects, engineering, no need to cheat if you have everything you need to succeed packed into one app.

Be perfectly prepared on time with an individual plan.

Test your knowledge with gamified quizzes.

Create and find flashcards in record time.

Create beautiful notes faster than ever before.

Have all your study materials in one place.

Upload unlimited documents and save them online.

Study Analytics

Identify your study strength and weaknesses.

Weekly Goals

Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them.

Smart Reminders

Stop procrastinating with our study reminders.

Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying.

Magic Marker

Create flashcards in notes completely automatically.

Smart Formatting

Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates.

Join millions of people in learning anywhere, anytime - every day

Sign up to highlight and take notes. It’s 100% free.

This is still free to read, it's not a paywall.

You need to register to keep reading, start learning with studysmarter, the only learning app you need..

Create a free account to save this explanation.

Save explanations to your personalised space and access them anytime, anywhere!

By signing up, you agree to the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy of StudySmarter.

StudySmarter bietet alles, was du für deinen Lernerfolg brauchst - in einer App!

Privacy overview.

Five Paragraph Essay: Step-By-Step Guides With Examples

July 22, 2019

Five Paragraph Essay: Step-By-Step Guides pay for someone to write my essay With Examples

You wherever you are whether you’re still studying at high school or have become a student of Harvard already, some academic standards will follow. Learning simple tips to compose five paragraph paper is definitely a crucial ability that comes into play handy in countless circumstances. It provides the opportunity to essays see what should look like, the way they ought to be written, and exactly exactly what framework they ought to have. Five essay that is paragraph will prepare you for future more complicated works, such as for instance dissertations and thesis. They’ll also assist in SAT significantly because perfect essay-writing the most assets that are valuable. Therefore, how exactly to compose a 5 paragraph essay?

5 Paragraph Essay Tips

Five paragraphs essay means a written piece that comprises five parts: introduction, three human body paragraphs, and summary. The objective of composing such essays lies in training pupils to state their ideas demonstrably, concisely, and accurately. This ability is going to be critical in almost any type or style of educational work with the near future. For foreigners, it will help in finding your way through TOEFL evaluation. If you’re an US, you could think about using IELTS sooner or later to improve your worth as a possible prospect because this English screening program is challenging also for native speakers. Without once you understand the basic principles of essay writing, you won’t have the ability to pass it precisely, and five paragraph essay is a great training base in this respect.

To acquire a feel associated with the 5 paragraph essay format, let’s think about three of their types that are main.

• Persuasive essay. The idea with this variety of paper is always to provide your point out the viewers while making them accept your viewpoint. Essentially, you decide on concept and work with marketing your look at it.
• Narrative essay. Generally in most cases, narrative essays are individual tales that expose how a number of writer’s experiences have actually shaped their thinking or character. As an example, it is possible to explain the way the occasion in your past has inspired one to pursue your present training sphere.
• Argumentative essay. This sheet of paper is more technical since it calls for presenting both true points of view, your and therefore for the opposition. Your ultimate goal will be show that your particular arguments are proper, but to accomplish this, you have to additionally deal with and counter the points created by the side that is opposing.

These appear to be various essay types, nevertheless they all get one major similarity: framework. Being representatives of five paragraph essay, they all follow identical writing guidelines. To achieve educational work, you must discover them by heart.

Perfect Essay Framework for You to follow along with

This essay must have five parts as it’s evident from the name. It does not make a difference what sort of paper you’ve been assigned, persuasive, narrative, argumentative, or others, you really need to nevertheless follow a normal 5 paragraph essay template.

• Introduction and thesis. Introduction may be the very first paragraph of all of the essays. Present your chosen subject along with some history right here. Don’t compose a lot of, though! Understand that five essay that is paragraph pretty restricted in dimensions. Your introduction shouldn’t surpass 10% through the word count that is general. End introduction with thesis declaration, an argumentative main declare that you need to show various other paragraphs.
• Principal human body. Since we’re talking about five essay that is paragraph there must be 3 human anatomy paragraphs. Dedicate each one of these to 1 point that is specific. Don’t mix a few ideas, be clear. Generate opening that is appropriate shutting sentences in order to make good, smooth transitions between paragraphs. For instance, don’t utilize direct quotes once the final phrase of paragraph. Alternatively, create rational links between some ideas.
• Conclusion. This is a final element of five paragraph essay where you should restate thesis and reinforce your opinions. Don’t mention any facts that are new simply recycle info that has been mentioned formerly.

Five Tips that is writing on to Get an A

• Brainstorm ideas. Think about different spheres of interests, have a look at available 5 paragraph essay examples. Don’t be certain during this period, just find out some aspects that are broad love to come up with. Search on the internet discussion boards or talk about it with friends/classmates.
• Choose topic. There are lots of 5 paragraph essay subjects as possible pick from. Unless you’re assigned one thing specific, go ahead and make use of your imagination. What exactly are you thinking about? just What do you want to explore? When you’ve selected an interest, think about what angle you’re going to treat it from. Take down notes to produce nothing that is sure forgotten.
• Pick sources. They’ll be a help base appearing why some basic some ideas are much better than others. Select appropriate people, such as for example articles from known American educational journals developed within the last ten years. Be ready to cite every undeniable fact that is certainly not knowledge that is common it’ll strengthen your arguments. Clearly, these guidelines try not to usually apply to narrative essay as the main focus there was strictly individual, but every-where else, appropriate sources selection is critical.
• Create an overview. It may appear to be a waste of the time however in truth, outlines are very important, particularly if you aren’t a skilled writer yet. You have got five solid paragraphs to build, with every of these being forced to be appropriate and well prepared. Pay just just what a few ideas get where, it’ll be a backbone of the essay. Add transitions between paragraphs right right here also so you might know how one concept moves into another.

5 Paragraph Essay Outline Example

Theory is great but training is every thing. Let’s make an example outline for the persuasive essay entitled “Shaming community Should Be Demolished in the USA”. Go on it as an use and sample to produce your very own paper.

1) Introduction

a) Hook aimed to intrigue visitors: Shaming has grown to become a part that is inherent of culture, where individuals ruin others’ life and overlook the effects. b) details about exactly exactly what this tradition requires and exactly how recently, this has gained popularity that is particular. c) Thesis: Shaming somebody because of their passions, appearance, and previous behavior can tarnish their reputation and cause them to despair, which explains why shame-culture should really be eradicated through the United States Of America.

2) Body. Paragraph 1.

a) Opening sentence: Shaming individuals for things like hobbies, looks, and previous actions is just a trend that is negative the united states. b) Develop starting sentence; mention certain types of shaming, like whenever women can be ridiculed for enjoying intimate fiction or whenever teenagers are damaged online due to careless remarks they posted several years ago. c) Closing sentence and change: This shaming can result in consequences that are severe.

3) Body. Paragraph 2.

A Opening that is) sentence Being shunned by culture makes numerous victims of shaming experience despair and also commit committing committing suicide. b) types of negative effects. A few cases of individuals who enjoy dark fiction being defined as psychopaths and abusers because of the so-called ‘moral police’, which irrevocably shattered their self-esteem and made them feel substandard. c) Closing sentence and transition: Considering these long-lasting adverse effects, it’s important to dismantle this tradition.

4) Body. Paragraph 3.

a) Opening sentence: There are 2 ways that the issue with shame-culture could possibly be addressed. b) Description of the means. c) Closing sentence: consequently, the eradication of shaming culture will likely make the culture less ignorant and it’ll add to more good trends’ creation.

5) Conclusion.

Experiencing essay research?

Our article writers have already aided 2,000+ students conquer their research objectives. Allow them to allow you to.

A restatement that is) of put another way. b) Repetition of details. c) Closing statement concluding my point.

Need Some Professional Assistance?

After scanning this guide, you understand most of the fundamentals of composing five paragraph essay. Purchase of info is the exact same for each and every kind, simply change content correctly. In case you’re stuck and need assistance, give consideration to custom essay composing solutions. EduBirdie runs a community of experts who shall help you at each phase. Purchasing an essay unless you’re satisfied, your assistant won’t receive payment, so you can ask for as many revisions as needed with us is 100% safe. We’re going to deliver the work of highest quality that fully corresponds to scholastic standards, so if you want assistance, contact us now and we’ll begin working on your own paper immediately.

• August 2019
• February 2019
• August 2018
• January 2018
• November 2017
• October 2011
• Uncategorized

Cancel reply

How to write a perfect 5 Paragraph Essay

  How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay : A Complete Guide

Essay writing can be the bane of many a student’s life.

Gone are the days when many students tried writing in big letters to fill the allotted number of pages with minimal effort quickly.

Now, it’s all constant word count checks and taking a dozen words to say what could be said in three.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be like this. When students have a clear, set structure to follow, essay writing can be a much less painful experience. Indeed, it can even be enjoyable!

In this article, we’ll outline a clear template our students can follow to produce a well-organised essay on practically any topic effectively.

Let’s get started!

THE HAMBURGER ESSAY – THE STUDENT’S FRIEND

The common 5 paragraph essay structure is often referred to as the hamburger essay . And this is a memorable way to communicate the concept to your students.

The hamburger essay structure consists of five paragraphs or layers as follows:

Layer 1 – The Top Bun: The Introduction

The uppermost layer is the introductory paragraph which communicates to the reader the purpose of the essay.

Layers 2,3, & 4 – The Meat Patties: The Body Paragraphs

These are the meat patties of the essay and each paragraph makes an argument in support of the essay’s central contention as expressed in the introduction.

Layer 5 – The Conclusion: The Bottom Bun

The bottommost layer is the conclusion, where the arguments are summed up and the central contention of the essay is restated forcefully one last time. We have a complete guide to writing a conclusion here .

Soon, we’ll take a closer look at each of these parts in turn. But, there is more to an essay than just the writing of it. There are also the prewriting and post writing stages to consider. We will look at all these aspects in this article, but first, let’s examine what our students need to be doing before they even begin to write their essays.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING PARAGRAPH WRITING IN 2023

This complete PARAGRAPH WRITING UNIT is designed to take students from zero to hero over FIVE STRATEGIC LESSONS to improve PARAGRAPH WRITING SKILLS through PROVEN TEACHING STRATEGIES.

THE PREWRITING STAGE – DEFINING THE THESIS STATEMENT, RESEARCH & PLANNING

The thesis statement.

Every essay needs a clear focus. This focus is usually defined in a thesis statement that presents the topic of the essay in a sentence or two. The thesis statement should also include the writer’s stance on that topic.

As this will help guide the direction of the essay, it is essential that our students define their thesis statement before they begin the writing process.

Sometimes during the process of writing, we find out what we think about a given topic. The writing process can act as a kind of reflection on the merits of the various arguments, before finally revealing to us our own opinion. This is writing as a method of discovery.

Usually, though, it is more efficient for students to decide on their opinions prior to beginning to write.

Defining their thesis statement early on not only helps guide the students writing, but helps ensure their research is focused and efficient at the crucial prewriting stage.

Research & Planning

As students begin their research and gather their evidence to support their thesis statement, they should also be encouraged to pay particular attention to the counterarguments they come across.

A well-written essay does not ignore opposing viewpoints, students should be taught to preempt counterarguments where possible so as to strengthen the power of their own arguments. Good research is essential for this.

Not so long ago, research meant hours in dusty libraries being constantly shushed, but with the advent of the internet, there is now a wealth of knowledge right at our fingertips (and the end of a good Wifi connection).

While this has made research a much more convenient process, students need to be reminded of the importance of seeking out reliable sources to support their opinions. In an era of ‘fake news’, this is more important now than ever.

As students gather the information and supporting evidence for their essay, they’ll need to organize it carefully. Graphic organizers are an effective way of doing this, either on a paper printout or by using a premade template on the computer.

It can also be helpful for students to sort their collected information according to where they intend to use it in the five-paragraph outline or layers mentioned above.

Finally, while good research, organization, and planning are essential for producing a well-written essay, it’s important that students are reminded that essay writing is also a creative act.

Students should maintain an open mind when it comes to the writing process. They should allow their thoughts and opinions the room to develop over the course of writing their essay. They should leave the door open for including new thoughts and ideas as the writing progresses.

The Writing Stage: Introduction, Body Paragraphs, & Conclusion 

The introduction.

A good introduction paragraph serves a number of important functions. It:

• Grabs the reader’s attention and interest, known as the hook
• Orientates the reader to the essays central argument, the thesis statement
• Outlines briefly the arguments that will be explored in support of the thesis statement.

To become an effective writer, it is important that our students learn the importance of grabbing the reader’s attention, as well as keeping it. Opening with a ‘hook’ or a ‘grabber’ is a great way to achieve this.

There are a number of techniques students can use here. Let’s take a look at some of the more common ones.

• The Surprising Fact – this can intrigue the reader to want to find out more, especially if it challenges some of their existing assumptions on a topic.
• The Quotation – a carefully selected quotation can be a great way to secure the reader’s attention and there are many curated quotation collections freely available online to help get students started.
• The Joke – this opening should be used judiciously as for some topics it may not be an appropriate way to open. In the right context however, humor can be a great way to engage the reader from the outset.
• The Anecdote – anecdotes are a great way to personally connect with the essay’s topic. They are a helpful way of climbing down the ladder of abstraction when exploring more theoretical arguments. They assist the reader in relating universal themes to their own lives.

Practice Activity 1:

To encourage students to develop strong opening paragraphs in their essays, it can be helpful to isolate writing opening paragraphs.

In this activity, provide your students with a list of essay topics and challenge them to write four different opening paragraphs for their essay, one each for The Surprising Fact , The Quotation , The Joke , and The Anecdote as listed above.

When students have completed their four paragraphs, they can then share with each other in groups and discuss which worked best and why.

This activity will help students to remember the different types of opening and how they work. It will also give them a feel for which openings work best for different types of essays.

We’ve already discussed what a thesis statement is and what it is intended to achieve, but where does it fit into the overall shape of the introductory paragraph exactly?

While there are no hard and fast rules here, thesis statements work well towards the end of the introductory paragraph – especially as the paragraph’s final sentence.

Readers are often hardwired to look for the thesis statement there. It connects the arguments that follow in the body paragraphs to the preceding sentences and contextualizes the essay for the reader.

THE BODY PARAGRAPHS

Now we get to the ‘meat’ of our essay. Each of the body paragraphs will explore one of the arguments supporting the thesis statement as laid out in the introduction.

While we are focused on the 5 paragraph essay here, longer essays will usually be constructed in exactly the same manner, they’ll just include more body paragraphs to cover the extra level of detail.

Generally, each body paragraph will open by stating the argument, with subsequent sentences supporting that argument by providing evidence along with some further explanation. Finally, a statement or phrase will help transition to the next paragraph.

The PEEL Paragraph Writing Process

The acronym PEEL can be a very useful tool to help students to understand how to organize each of their body paragraphs.

P oint : start the paragraph by expressing the central argument

E vidence : support the central argument of the paragraph by providing evidence or reasons. Evidence may come in many forms including facts and statistics, quotations from a text or other authority, reference to historical events etc.

E xplanation : explain how the evidence provided supports the paragraph’s central argument.

L ink : provide a transition into the next paragraph by linking this argument and the central thesis to the next point to be made.

Practice Activity 2:

Just as students isolated the opening to their introductory paragraph for practice purposes, in this activity they’ll isolate a single argument on a chosen essay topic.

When they have chosen a topic and selected a single argument related to that topic, they can begin to write one body paragraph using the PEEL structure outlined above.

This activity works well when several students write on the same argument. When each has completed their paragraphs, they can then compare the results with each other.

It can be a fascinating experiment that allows the students to see just how diverse different treatments of the same argument using the same PEEL formula can be – there is freedom within the discipline of the structure!

THE CONCLUSION

The purpose of the conclusion is to close the circle of the essay. It is a chance for the writer to restate the thesis statement, summarize the main arguments, and tie up any loose ends as the writer drives home their point one last time.

At this stage of the game, no new arguments should be introduced. However, students should revisit the previous arguments made in the body paragraphs and it is acceptable to offer up a new insight or two on these.

The student should take care here to make sure they leave no doubt in the reader’s mind that the essay question is fully answered. One useful way of doing this is by incorporating words and phrases from the essay question into the conclusion itself.

To help students grasp the underlying structure of a concluding paragraph, the following sequential structure is useful to keep in mind:

• Starts with a closing phrase such as In conclusion , There is no doubt , Finally etc
• Restates the main thesis statement
• Summarizes the main point of each of the body paragraphs
• Leaves the reader with something to think about.

Practice Activity 3:

Again, here we will isolate the concluding paragraph for focused practice.

Students select a topic they know well, decide what they think about that topic, write down a few key arguments, and then begin writing a concluding paragraph to an essay on that topic.

Students should use the template above to structure that material.

You could also include an element of peer assessment here by having students swap their paragraphs with each other, before offering each other feedback.

The Post Writing Stage: Editing & Proofreading YOUR 5 paragraph ESSAY

The final stage of writing a five-paragraph essay is perhaps the least glamorous of an unglamorous process, but no less essential for it – the editing and proofreading.

Often, our students overlook this stage. After completing the process of research, planning, and writing their five-paragraph essay, they let themselves down at this final, crucial stage.

Frequently, students fail to adequately edit and proofread their work not just because of laziness, but because they are unsure of exactly what this process entails.

To avoid this, ensure students understand that editing and proofreading involve reading through and correcting mistakes in the following areas one after the other:

• Text Organisation: title, headings, layout etc
• Sentence Structure: coherence, grammar , sentence variety etc
• Word Choice: suitable word choices, avoid repetition etc
• Spelling and Punctuation: accuracy in both areas.

Practice Activity 4:

Once students have completed their essays, appoint each a partner to work with and each then edits and proofreads the other person’s work.

Sometimes students struggle to gain the necessary distance from their own work to adequately edit and proofread it, this exercise overcomes that issue while giving them an opportunity to gain some valuable editing and proofreading experience that will benefit them in future.

CLOSING THE CIRCLE

So, there you have it – how to write a five-paragraph essay from start to finish. As with anything, the more practice students get, the quicker they will improve.

But, bear in mind too that writing essays is hard work and you don’t want to put students off.

The best way to provide opportunities for students to develop the various skills related to essay writing is to isolate them in the manner apparent in the activities described above.

This way, students can soon sharpen up their skills, without learning to dread the word ‘essay’ itself!

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

Five Paragraph Essay exampleS (Student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of student writing samples of 5 paragraph essays.  Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail.  Please take a moment to both read the 5 paragraph essay in detail but also the teacher and student guides which highlight some of the key elements of this structured model of essay writing here.

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of 5 paragraph essay writing.

We would recommend reading the example either a year above and below, as well as the grade you are currently working with to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.

5 PARAGRAPH ESSAY VIDEO TUTORIALS

The content for this page has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh.  A former principal of an international school and English university lecturer with 15 years of teaching and administration experience. Shane’s latest Book, The Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing , can be found here.  Editing and support for this article have been provided by the literacyideas team.

A FULL-YEAR of NONFICTION WRITING RESOURCES .

Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool

A complete, free online christian homeschool curriculum for your family and mine, five paragraph essay example.

(introduction) Have you ever wondered what it would be like to float around in space? It’s fun to watch videos of astronauts in the space shuttle with their hair sticking up and all their things floating around. What would happen if that was what earth was like? (thesis statement) I think earth without gravity would be an impossible place to live.

(body: main idea 1) Gravity gives us the ability to get around. (details) While we could get around with jet packs, which might be fun for a while, that’s only a very limited solution for getting around. We’d have to refuel all the time. If we ran out, we could float away, never to be heard from again. (conclusion) Gravity is what keeps us on earth and lets us do the simplest things like walk from here to there.

(transition) Besides getting around, (main idea 2) gravity lets us play our favorite games. (details) Kicking a soccer ball in no gravity would only result in a lost ball. No one could pitch a baseball in zero gravity; the ball would never reach home plate. A game of chess or checkers could work with Velcro pieces and board I guess, but you’d have to sit strapped in to play! (conclusion) The games that we know just can’t be played the same way without gravity.

(transition) Maybe even harder (main idea 3) would be trying to eat without gravity. (details) How could you cut up food? You couldn’t. French fries? No way! They would have to make dispensers that only let out one at a time. Of course, the ketchup would float right off and up, up and away. Soup would be a wet mess on the ceiling. We’d have to have lids with fat straws on our bowls and then try to keep the soup from floating out through the straw opening! (conclusion) Eating a meal without gravity would not be a relaxed and pleasurable affair.

(conclusion: restate the thesis) A normal life without gravity is impossible. (sum up and let us know why to care) We rely on gravity for everything, even if we don’t realize it. It’s enough to keep us from floating away, but not so much that we can’t jump, throw a ball, or lift food to our mouths. Earth’s gravity is a perfect match for our lives.