What is an Expository Essay?
• Expository Writing
Purposes
• Gives Facts
• Informs
• Gives Steps in a
Process.
• Presents Ideas in
logical order or
correct sequence.
Expository Writing
• Examples of
Expository Writing
Giving Facts and
Informing
•
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•
•
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News Articles
Non-Fiction Books
Graphs and Charts
Textbooks
Classroom notes
Comparing and
Contrasting
• Most letters
Expository Writing
• Examples of
Expository Writing
Giving Steps, Order
and Sequence
• Instructions and
Directions
• Recipes
• Résumés
• Science or math
equation
Expository Writing
• Key Difference
Between Exposition
and Narration
• Expository, nonfiction, informational
writing does not have
characters, a setting,
or other story
elements.
Expository Writing
• When to Write in an
Expository Style
• When an author
creates a piece of
writing, he or she has
a purpose for writing
• If an author wants to
share information with
you, he or she will
write an expository
piece.
Expository Writing
• Identifying Exposition
• Remember:
expository,
informational, and
non-fiction are all
synonyms.
• The author will not
share his or her
opinion on the topic.
Expository Writing
• Methods of
Development
• Definition
• Compare and
Contrast
• Classification
• Example
• Cause and Effect
• Process Analysis
Expository Writing
• Elements of an
Expository Writing
• A clear, concise, and
defined thesis statement
that occurs in the first
paragraph of the essay
• Body paragraphs that
include evidential support
• Evidential support
(whether factual, logical,
statistical, or anecdotal).
Expository Writing
• Paragraph Structure:
Topic Sentence
• Begin with a topic
sentence that’s broad
enough to include all
the ideas of the
paragraph, but narrow
enough to be limited
to a single paragraph.
Ex. Overloading your schedule with too many
hours of class may cause you to achieve less than
you hoped.
Expository Writing
• Paragraph Structure:
Supporting Idea
• The topic sentence is
then developed by the
first of two supporting
ideas:
First, you may spend so many hours attending
class that you have very little time for the
research and homework that university classes
require.
Expository Writing
• Paragraph Structure:
Example or
Illustration
• The supporting idea is
then developed with a
real-life example or
quotation from an
outsider
Felicia, a mother of twins, added extra hours of
class to her schedule because she wanted to finish
her degree as soon as possible. However, the extra
hours gave her no time at all to study, and she had
to re-sit a course, thus losing time instead of gaining
it.
Expository Writing
• Paragraph Structure:
• A concluding
Concluding Statement
sentence ties up the
thoughts and drives
home the main idea
using new vocabulary
to emphasize the
topic sentence
Thus, consider carefully the number of courses you sign
up for; an overload may spell disaster.
EXPOSITORY PARAGRAPH
SCHEME
• Overview: Expository
Paragraph Scheme
•
•
•
•
•
Topic Sentence
Supporting Idea
Illustration/Example
Supporting Idea #2
Illustration/Example
#2
• Conclusion
Identifying Purpose:
Expository Writing
Non-Volunteer: What are the key words
that show it is an expository prompt?
• Most people enjoy some type of music.
Think about your favorite type of music
and explain why you like that particular
type of music.
Non-Volunteer: What are the key words
that show it is an expository prompt?
• Describe your favorite outfit including
any accessories.
Non-Volunteer: What are the key words
that show it is an expository prompt?
• Sometimes even the best drivers can get
lost at times. Explain how you would direct
a lost man to get back to the interstate
highway from your neighborhood.
Non-Volunteer: What are the key words
that show it is an expository prompt?
• Tell how to make a hamburger.
Non-Volunteer: What are the key words
that show it is an expository prompt?
• Everyone has days that they will always
remember as being very special. Think
about a special day that you have had.
Write an essay telling why it was so
special.
Expository Writing Topics
• As a student familiar with this school,
explain the procedure for (fire drills,
forming a line, moving between
classes, moving into learning groups,
finding a sentence pattern, outlining a
chapter, solving an equation) to a new
student.
P.A.C.O.
•
•
•
•
Purpose:
Audience:
Content:
Organization:
?
?
?
?
• Prompt:
– As a student familiar with
this school, explain the
procedure for (fire drills,
forming a line, moving
between classes, moving
into learning groups,
finding a sentence
pattern, outlining a
chapter, solving an
equation) to a new
student.
Expository Writing Topics
• The telephone has become a most
important part of everyone's life. Most
of us have difficulty imagining what it
could be like to live without it. Write an
essay explaining how the American
family uses it for business, pleasure,
and emergencies. Assume that this will
be published as a part of an
encyclopedia article.
P.A.C.O.
•
•
•
•
Purpose:
Audience:
Content:
Organization:
?
?
?
?
• Prompt:
– The telephone has
become a most important
part of everyone's life.
Most of us have difficulty
imagining what it could
be like to live without it.
Write an essay explaining
how the American family
uses it for business,
pleasure, and
emergencies. Assume
that this will be published
as a part of an
encyclopedia article.