Expository
Writing:
It doesn’t
have to be
difficult!
What is expository writing?
 Used
to explain, describe, give
information, or inform a reader
 “ex-”
 “pos”
Latin prefix meaning “out”
Latin root meaning “place or put”
 Literally,
reader
to put information “out” to a
What are the main organization
styles of expository writing?
Description
Sequence
Comparison
Cause
and effect
Problem and solution
 If
you choose the best organizational
pattern for your topic, your paper will be
much easier to write
 Each
organizational pattern has its own
style, its own set of “cue words” that you
will use in writing
 Each
organizational pattern also has a
graphic organizer that works best, to help
you gather your ideas
Description pattern
 As
a writer using this pattern, you would
describe your topic by listing
characteristics and features of it, as well
as giving examples
 Cue
words:
 For
example
 Characteristics are
Sequence pattern
 As
a writer using this pattern, you would
list items in numerical or chronological
order
 Cue
words:
 First
 Second
 Next
 Then
 Finally
Comparison pattern
 As
a writer using this pattern, you would
explain how two or more things are alike
and/or different
 Cue
words:
 Different
 Alike
 In
contrast
 Same as
 On the other hand
Cause and Effect pattern
 As
a writer using this pattern, you would
explain one or more causes and then
show the resulting effect(s)
 Cue
words:
 Reasons
why
 If…then
 As
a result
 Therefore
 Because
Problem and Solution pattern
(sometimes called Question and Answer)
 As
a writer using this pattern, you would
describe a problem and list one or more
solutions (or ask a question and then
provide one or more answers)
 Cue
words:
 Problem
is
 Puzzle is solved
 Question…answer
Quick quiz! Let’s see who’s
taking good notes!
Get
your clicker ready
Read
the description on each
page, then choose the
expository pattern that is most
appropriate
Which pattern style would
describe why something
happened?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Description
Sequence
Comparison
Cause and Effect
Problem and Solution
Which organizational pattern
could explain the steps to
follow to do something?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Description
Sequence
Comparison
Cause and Effect
Problem and Solution
Which pattern would be seen
in a paper explaining the
colors of the Olympic Rings?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Description
Sequence
Comparison
Cause and Effect
Problem and Solution
Which pattern would be seen in
a paper discussing who is cuter:
Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Description
Sequence
Comparison
Cause and Effect
Problem and Solution
Which pattern would be seen in a
paper discussing what to do for
an organization that needs to
raise money?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Description
Sequence
Comparison
Cause and Effect
Problem and Solution
Planning the Expository Essay
 Prewriting
is critical to this type of paper
 If your information is not organized
logically, your reader will not be able to
understand your point
 Graphic organizers are a huge help here
 Five or ten minutes completing a graphic
organizer results in an average of a letter
grade higher on your final score!!
Web/Cluster organizer
 List
your topic in the middle
 On lines radiating out from the topic, list
characteristics, details, and examples of your
central topic
 You can add additional lines coming out from
your initial details
Detail
Detail
Detail
Topic
Detail
Web/Cluster organizer
 This
graphic organizer works best with
description-style papers
 It could also work with sequence-style papers if
you then numbered your details
 It could also work with problem/solution-style
papers if you have more than one solution
Detail
Detail
Detail
Topic
Detail
List organizer
 List
your topic at the top of the page
 On each line below that, list a step in the
process
 If a step has sub-steps, you could indent
and start a second list
Topic
Step one
Step two
Step three
Sub-step one
Sub-step two
List organizer
 This
graphic organizer works best with
sequence-style papers
 It could also work with description papers,
cause and effect papers, and problem/solution
papers
Topic
Step one
Step two
Step three
Sub-step one
Sub-step two
Venn diagram organizer




Draw two interlocking circles (or more, depending on the
number of items you are comparing)
Make the circles big enough for lots of writing
In the overlapping section included in both circles, list
elements that the two topics have in common
In the separate sections of each circle, list elements that
the two topics do not share
Element
one
Element
two
Venn diagram organizer
 This
graphic organizer works best with
comparison-style papers
Element
one
Element
two
Hierarchy organizer
 List
your problem at the top of the page
 Draw a line down from your problem, then
branch it off into the number of solutions you
have
Problem
Solution
one
Solution
two
Solution
three
Hierarchy organizer




This graphic organizer works best with problem/solutionstyle papers
It could also work with cause/effect-style papers that
have more than one effect
It could also work with description-style papers
It could also work with a comparison paper, if you only
had two second-level boxes and listed details below that
Elements
Alike
Different
example
example
I’m feeling another quick quiz
coming on!
Get
your clicker ready
Read
the description on each
page, then choose the graphic
organizer that is most
appropriate
Which kind of organizer would
be best for a paper telling
how to do laundry?
Cluster
2. List
3. Venn
4. Hierarchy
1.
0 of 5
1
0
Which kind of organizer would
be best for a paper explaining
what rides are at Kings Island?
Cluster
2. List
3. Venn
4. Hierarchy
1.
0 of 5
1
0
Which kind of organizer would be
best for a paper showing how
middle school and high school
are alike and different?
Cluster
2. List
3. Venn
4. Hierarchy
1.
0 of 5
1
0
Which kind of organizer would
be best for a paper describing
options for keeping track of your
homework?
Cluster
2. List
3. Venn
4. Hierarchy
1.
0 of 5
1
0
All right, let’s practice.
 In
your notes, you’re going to practice
completing each type of graphic
organizer.
 You’ll have three minutes to try each
type. You may not finish; do your best.
 I will give you a topic for each type.
 When time is up, we’ll share several
examples.
Ready, set, go!
Create
a
web/cluster diagram
to describe this
classroom
Ready, set, go!
Create
a list
diagram to explain
how to do the dishes
Ready, set, go!
Create
a Venn
diagram to
compare and
contrast McDonald’s
versus Subway
Ready, set, go!
Create
a hierarchy
diagram to show
ways you could earn
money to buy
something you want
So to review…




Expository writing is used to give factual
information to the reader
It follows one of five main organizational
patterns: description, sequence, comparison,
cause and effect, and problem and solution
Each pattern has its own best cue words and
graphic organizer
Prewriting with a graphic organizer can add
up to a letter grade to your final paper
score—use it!