How to Write a Perfect Five Paragraph Essay
Published in Big Apple Parent Magazine
by Emily Levy
"I need to write a five paragraph essay. Where do I begin? How do I compose a
thesis statement? What is a transition word? And how do I end with strong
concluding remarks?"
Do any of these words sound familiar? As your child advances through elementary
school, he or she will inevitably face the often daunting task of writing a five
paragraph essay. Many students have little direction, and some have no clue at all,
as to how to plan, write, and self-check their essays using an organized, logical flow.
Since writing is certainly one of the most important skills for school success, it is
imperative that students learn an effective strategy for organizing their thoughts and
ideas on paper.
Here is a step-by-step process for how to write a perfect five paragraph essay:
1. The introduction paragraph. This paragraph tends to be, by far, the most
difficult one for students to write. It is here that the student must lure in the reader
with an interesting, thought-provoking remark or anecdote. The paragraph must end
with a well-constructed thesis statement to set the organization and tone of the
essay. Here are some guidelines for writing a strong introduction paragraph: a. The
opener. Students can choose one of the following five ways to start the essay:
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Question (Ex. Have you ever wondered how baked ziti is made?)
General Statement. (Ex. Wearing a seatbelt can help protect your life.)
Quotation. (Ex. A wise man once said, "If it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it.”)
Opposite Statement (Ex. Many people believe that all ‘healthy’ foods
are healthy.)
Story (Ex. The manager left his store to take a quick lunch break. He
was sure all of his employees were trustworthy. He was gone for one
hour, and when he returned, all of the cash was missing from his
register.)
For practice, encourage your child to write just the opener of several different essays
on various topics. These five choices will add variety and creativity to his or her
writing!
b. The thesis statement. The thesis statement should always come at the end of the
introduction paragraph. It should always contain the student’s opinion on the topic
and his or her plan for the essay. For example, a well-constructed thesis statement
might be as follows: Rocking Horse Grill is the best restaurant in town because of its
food, atmosphere, and friendly staff. Note that for this thesis statement, the opinion
is Rocking Horse Grill is the best restaurant in town and the plan is because of its
food, atmosphere, and friendly staff. Thus, the first body paragraph of this essay
would be about Rocking Horse Grill’s food, the second body paragraph would be
about its atmosphere, and the third would be about its friendly staff. For practice,
have your child write thesis statements on the following topics: winter sports, junk
food, and holidays.
c. The lead-in. The lead-in actually comes before the thesis statement (3-5
sentences) and after the opener. We teach the lead-in after teaching the thesis
statement, however, because it flows together and is easier to grasp this way. As
practice, students should read well-written introduction paragraphs and highlight the
opener in one color, the lead-in in another color, and the thesis statement in a third
color.
This information is certainly a lot to absorb – but it will make a real difference in your
child’s writing! Remember that for many students, coming up with the content is not
the challenge. Rather it is organizing that content into a well-written, wellstructured, and logically flowing essay. Use these strategies to make the five
paragraph essay writing process step-by-step, fun and easy for your child. So get to
work!