Problem/
Solution
Expository
Essay
Writing Prompt
• Your community wants to make improvements to a local park
near your school. You may select one of a committee’s three
suggestions: sports/recreation center, music/dance/drama
center, video/game center, or you may choose one of your
own suggestions for a center. You have been chosen to
attend a community meeting as one of your school’s
representatives. Write a speech in which you evaluate which
suggestion (one of the committee’s or your own) would be
best for the community.
As you write…
• Focus on your evaluation of how the suggestion would be
the best for the community.
• Choose words that are well-suited to the purpose,
audience, and context of your speech.
• Organize your speech so that your ideas and examples
progress logically.
• Include relevant details that clearly develop your speech.
• Edit your speech for standard grammar and language
usage.
Introduction
• Make sure you use a lead strategy
– Ask a question
– Use sensory details
– Use a quotation
– Use a concession
• Address the problem stated in the prompt
Focus on the Problem
• Describe the problem
• What causes the problem?
• Why is this a problem that needs to be
solved?
Focus on the Solution
• Describe ONE solution to the problem
• What are the steps that must be taken for
this solution to work?
• Who will be involved? What will happen to
make this solution work? When will the
solution take place? How will the solution
work?
Make Concessions
• Show you’ve put some thought into your solution
by acknowledging and critiquing other possible
solutions to your topic. Explain your reasons for
rejecting them. Your goal: make your solution
appear to be the best solution.
Conclusion
• Conclude with a call to action. Encourage your
audience to accept your views and join the cause.
Use projection: show your audience what your
community will be like if they do or do not adopt
your solution. Or ask them to take simple steps to
bring about the change you desire. Help them
continue the fight.
Shanty Towns
There are numerous health problems in shanty towns. Firstly, because the
sites are illegal the government does not provide piped water. As a result, drinking
and bathing water are usually dirty and this causes diseases such as dysentery,
typhoid and hepatitis, as well as skin and eye diseases. Secondly, houses are often
overcrowded and have poor air circulation. This makes it easier to catch diseases
like flu, TB and diphtheria where infection enters through the throat. Thirdly,
there are no drains, sewers or rubbish collection services. The resulting pools of
stagnant water and heaps of household waste attract rats and insects, which can
pass on diseases.
The government could do a lot to solve these problems. For example, they
could supply clean, piped water to individual houses or, at least, to neighborhoods.
This would make drinking water safe and reduce infections. In addition, the
authorities could provide householders with building materials to improve their
conditions and educate them about the importance of ventilation. Lastly, the city
council could construct drains and provide a rubbish collection service to reduce
the risk of infections spread by rats and insects.
If the government took these steps, the result would be a safer, healthier
environment. Furthermore, the improvements would also lead to increased
employment opportunities in areas such as construction, plumbing and rubbish
disposal. It is time for politicians to come to the aid of the people who elected them!
Planning Your Own "ProblemSolution" Essay
1. Choose a problem
2. Make notes to identify the
problem/s. For example, notes
for the "Shanty Town" essay
would start like the table to the
right. You need to have several
problems that contribute to your
overall problem.
Shanty Town Health
Problems
Outline of
Solutions
Problem
•no piped water
(drinking + bathing
water are dirty à
diseases)
•overcrowded
houses, poor
ventilation
Planning Your Own "ProblemSolution" Essay
3. Make a list of
possible solutions.
4. Don’t stick to just
one area of
solutions. Be
creative and
inventive. Think of
as many possible
solutions as you
can!
Problems
•no piped water
(drinking + bathing
water are dirty à
diseases)
•overcrowded
houses, poor
ventilation
Solutions
•govt. provide piped
water
• govt. help
householders to
build better houses)
Writing Your Thesis
• A sentence in the essay that states the
thesis
• Usually expressed in the first paragraph, as
part of the introduction
• Should be “just right”
– Not too general or it will not provide adequate
direction for the essay
– Not too specific or it will be difficult to develop
into a series of related paragraphs
Examples
• Topic: Controlling our children
– Too General Thesis: Children must be disciplined.
– Too specific thesis: Teachers have a role in the
discipline of children.
– Precise thesis: By using disciplinary techniques, parents,
teachers, and police are the main agents for controlling
children
• Provides three groups to discuss, general enough to allow for the
development of several main ideas and specific enough to give
the essay structure and organization
Examples Continued
• By using disciplinary techniques, parents, teachers,
and police are the main agents responsible for
controlling children.
• Main Idea 1: There are a variety of techniques available to
parents who are willing to take responsibility for disciplining their
children
• Main Idea 2: Teachers are also important agents of discipline
for children in today’s society.
• Main Idea 3: If criminal behavior is involved, police take the
responsibility to control children through the legal system.
• WRITING A PRECISE THESIS STATEMENT IS THE KEY
STEP IN DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE ESSAY