Essay Format
The standard persuasive or expository essay is 5 paragraphs long. They follow a very
specific format, and some of these seemingly small details are very important for creating
the overall impression on your reader.
Paragraph 1: Introduction
This paragraph is generally a couple of sentences long, and needs to give the reader a
very clear understanding of the subject and argument of the essay. If this is unclear, it
weakens the entire essay.
Sentence 1: Grabber
A statement about your topic that gets the reader’s attention. You can ask a
question, make a statement, give a quote, or tell a story.
Sentence 2: Thesis statement (Do not use a question!!)
This is the main idea or your essay. It gives the point you are trying to prove and
the main reasons you have to support it. (See persuasive writing notes)
Example:
School uniforms should be required at all schools because they would prevent
bullying, save families money, and improve school safety.
Paragraph 2: Body paragraph 1: discuss reason 1 from the thesis
Body paragraphs should be approximately 8-10 sentences, depending on sentence length
and complexity.
Sentence 1: Topic sentence.
This gives the main argument of your body paragraph, and is like a thesis for this
specific paragraph; it discusses the first reason from your thesis statement.
Example:
If school uniforms were required, bullying in schools would decrease.
Sentences 2-6: Body Sentences
This goes into more details about your topic sentence. Give more details about it.
Explain why it proves your argument.
Sentence 7: Concluding statement and transition
Wraps up argument, refers to the main argument, and introduces the topic of the
next paragraph. The transition is very important, as it improves the flow of the
writing, and makes the ideas work smoothly together.
Example:
Not only would uniforms reduce bullying, they would also save parents money.
Paragraph 3: Body paragraph 2; discuss reason 2 from the thesis
Follows the same format as paragraph 2; discusses the second reason from your thesis.
Example topic:
School uniforms would save parents money.
Paragraph 4: Body paragraph 3; discuss reason 3 from the thesis
Follows the same format as paragraph 2; discusses the third reason from your thesis.
**In the conclusion of this paragraph, you do not need a transition statement.
Example topic:
School uniforms would also improve school safety.
Paragraph 5: Conclusion
This wraps up the argument – restate your main points, and then leave the reader with
something to ponder about your topic.
Sentence 1: Concluding statement
Wraps up the essay. State your argument again, and sum up your reasons. Use
different words from your thesis.
Example:
Since they would reduce bullying, save money, and improve safety, school
uniforms should be required in all schools.
Sentence 2: Clincher, or Food-for-thought
Something to give the reader to think about after they finish reading the essay.
Can be a question, statement, etc.
Example
With so many befits to uniforms, it is hard to believe schools do not have them
already.
Narrative Essays
Do not follow the same format as other essays. They must be at least 3 paragraphs long,
but the exact number will vary with your story. The basic rule is that you start a new
paragraph for every change in speaker, location, or major event. See the narrative writing
notes for more information.
Intro: introduce the subject, setting and characters of the story, whether it is a true story
or a fictional one. You can include the writing topic you are given here, if you like, but
make sure it is not word-for-word.
Body paragraphs: there do not need to be 3 of these; there can be more or fewer,
depending on your story. Here you expand on the details of the story.
Conclusion: your final statement on the story. Often gives the message of your story.
This is also a good place to include the reflection, if you have not yet done so in the body;
that discussion of the impact of this event on your life serves as a strong clincher.
English 9 District Write
This is the essay portion of the exam, one written by every grade 9 student in the district.
Rules
- Must be written in blue or black ink
- You have one hour to complete it (one class block) and then it must be turned in,
even if you have not finished.
- You will have 3 choices of topic
- You may answer using narrative, persuasive, expository, and/or descriptive
writing.
- You may agree or disagree with the topic.
- This is marked as a draft – you do not have time to do a good copy, but you
should edit and make this draft as good as it can possibly be in the time limit.
Tips
-
Narrative and persuasive writing is usually much more effective than expository.
Make sure you use specific details and examples to support your ideas; vagueness
will result in a lower mark
Make sure you have a clear, strong thesis
Reword the topic – avoid using the writing prompt word for word.
If doing a narrative…
o You still need a thesis that introduces the story and topic
o You are still trying to prove a point – focus on the story details that prove
the idea, but leave out anything irrelevant
o Writing should be formal, but you may use first person point of view
o Dialogue should be minimal (it gets boring and is difficult to correctly
punctuate.) Use dialogue for key points, and paraphrase the rest.
o It should be realistic, but does not have to have actually happened, even if
you use first person. You do not have time to create an original and fully
developed imaginary world…
o Use emotional appeal, and a clear conflict
o Use descriptive language
The Topics
The topics commonly ask about growth, change, relationships, and maturity. Think about
important events or people with a long term impact on your life, events or people that
made you more mature, and why this is. These are the stories that are good to discuss on
the exam.
The topics are also deliberately vague – this lets you take it and turn it into something
interesting and original. There are several ways to do this…
- Expository (BORING), refine and agree, disagree, personal example, fictional
narrative, sometimes, mirror image, twist…
Ex. Fear can create lasting impressions.
- The big idea of this topic is fear and what happens as a result of fear.
o Agree – yes it does. (But just giving examples is boring…)
o Disagree – no, it doesn’t; prove this.
o Personal example – discuss something you were afraid of and how it did
or did not impact you.
o Sometimes – discuss how it is conditional. Give examples of both.
o Refine into a persuasive – is the impact of fear good or bad?
 Thesis: the long term impact of fear is essential for healthy
development; it allows us to grow and change. (This is more
focused and can be proved in a more interesting way.)
Ex: A leader should possess certain qualities
o Persuasive – argue that one specific quality is best.
o Disagree – No, a leader should be able to come from anywhere.
o Mirror-image – discuss people who were terrible leaders due to qualities
they lacked.
o Prove or disprove through a story
o Twist – leaders all possess certain qualities, but they can chose to use them
for negative purposes.