writing a 4 paragraph essay

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1. The Introduction

2. a strong thesis statement, 3. topic sentence, 4. structuring the body paragraphs, 5. the conclusion, how to write a 4-paragraph essay.

Used at all levels of education, the four paragraph essay offers a basic format that enables writers to present information in a concise manner. A four paragraph essay is an acceptable format for many types of essays, including cause and effect and compare and contrast essays. The four-paragraph essay consists of an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. Each paragraph in the essay requires specific information in order for readers to follow a logical flow of information.

The four-paragraph essay consists of an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion.

Begin this paragraph with a “hook” that will make readers interested in your essay.

The University of Maryland University College recommends using:

• a surprising statement or statistic,
• personal story
• or rhetorical question.

Avoid the overused and unoriginal dictionary definition opening. After the opener, provide background information on the topic, which should tell readers the purpose of the essay, as well as what they should expect to read.

A thesis statement provides readers with a condensed version of the analysis or argument that you will discuss in the essay. These are typically one or two sentences, and are located at the end of the introduction paragraph.

A strong thesis statement avoids vague language and is specific and argumentative.

• The topic sentence announces the main focus of the paragraph by stating one of the arguments identified in the thesis statement.
• Provide supporting sentences that offer evidence for your claim.
• End the paragraph with your own observation or analysis.

Your body paragraphs should consist of a clear topic sentence, quotes, and explanations of the supporting evidence you have found. This is where you have the chance to prove your thesis to your reader. In order to do this, you must have strong evidence that supports the claim you are trying to make.

• Rephrase your thesis statement in the concluding paragraph, stating how it has been proven throughout the body paragraphs.
• The conclusion should have a summary of the essay’s main arguments and an explanation on how they are connected.
• Lastly, explain why the topic of your essay is important and why it should matter to the readers.
• University of Maryland University College: Introductions; 2010
• Indiana University: Thesis Statement; Jan. 2008
• University of Maryland University College: Conclusion

i am a writer

11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)

How do you structure a paragraph in an essay?

If you’re like the majority of my students, you might be getting your basic essay paragraph structure wrong and getting lower grades than you could!

In this article, I outline the 11 key steps to writing a perfect paragraph. But, this isn’t your normal ‘how to write an essay’ article. Rather, I’ll try to give you some insight into exactly what teachers look out for when they’re grading essays and figuring out what grade to give them.

You can navigate each issue below, or scroll down to read them all:

1. Paragraphs must be at least four sentences long 2. But, at most seven sentences long 3. Your paragraph must be Left-Aligned 4. You need a topic sentence 5 . Next, you need an explanation sentence 6. You need to include an example 7. You need to include citations 8. All paragraphs need to be relevant to the marking criteria 9. Only include one key idea per paragraph 10. Keep sentences short 11. Keep quotes short

Paragraph structure is one of the most important elements of getting essay writing right .

As I cover in my Ultimate Guide to Writing an Essay Plan , paragraphs are the heart and soul of your essay.

However, I find most of my students have either:

• forgotten how to write paragraphs properly,
• gotten lazy, or
• never learned it in the first place!

Paragraphs in essay writing are different from paragraphs in other written genres .

In fact, the paragraphs that you are reading now would not help your grades in an essay.

That’s because I’m writing in journalistic style, where paragraph conventions are vastly different.

For those of you coming from journalism or creative writing, you might find you need to re-learn paragraph writing if you want to write well-structured essay paragraphs to get top grades.

Below are eleven reasons your paragraphs are losing marks, and what to do about it!

Essay Paragraph Structure Rules

1. your paragraphs must be at least 4 sentences long.

In journalism and blog writing, a one-sentence paragraph is great. It’s short, to-the-point, and helps guide your reader. For essay paragraph structure, one-sentence paragraphs suck.

A one-sentence essay paragraph sends an instant signal to your teacher that you don’t have much to say on an issue.

A short paragraph signifies that you know something – but not much about it. A one-sentence paragraph lacks detail, depth and insight.

Many students come to me and ask, “what does ‘add depth’ mean?” It’s one of the most common pieces of feedback you’ll see written on the margins of your essay.

Personally, I think ‘add depth’ is bad feedback because it’s a short and vague comment. But, here’s what it means: You’ve not explained your point enough!

If you’re writing one-, two- or three-sentence essay paragraphs, you’re costing yourself marks.

Always aim for at least four sentences per paragraph in your essays.

This doesn’t mean that you should add ‘fluff’ or ‘padding’ sentences.

Make sure you don’t:

a) repeat what you said in different words, or b) write something just because you need another sentence in there.

But, you need to do some research and find something insightful to add to that two-sentence paragraph if you want to ace your essay.

Check out Points 5 and 6 for some advice on what to add to that short paragraph to add ‘depth’ to your paragraph and start moving to the top of the class.

• How to Make an Essay Longer
• How to Make an Essay Shorter

2. Your Paragraphs must not be more than 7 Sentences Long

Okay, so I just told you to aim for at least four sentences per paragraph. So, what’s the longest your paragraph should be?

Seven sentences. That’s a maximum.

So, here’s the rule:

Between four and seven sentences is the sweet spot that you need to aim for in every single paragraph.

Here’s why your paragraphs shouldn’t be longer than seven sentences:

1. It shows you can organize your thoughts. You need to show your teacher that you’ve broken up your key ideas into manageable segments of text (see point 10)

2. It makes your work easier to read.   You need your writing to be easily readable to make it easy for your teacher to give you good grades. Make your essay easy to read and you’ll get higher marks every time.

One of the most important ways you can make your work easier to read is by writing paragraphs that are less than six sentences long.

3. It prevents teacher frustration. Teachers are just like you. When they see a big block of text their eyes glaze over. They get frustrated, lost, their mind wanders … and you lose marks.

To prevent teacher frustration, you need to ensure there’s plenty of white space in your essay. It’s about showing them that the piece is clearly structured into one key idea per ‘chunk’ of text.

Often, you might find that your writing contains tautologies and other turns of phrase that can be shortened for clarity.

3. Your Paragraph must be Left-Aligned

Turn off ‘Justified’ text and: Never. Turn. It. On. Again.

Justified text is where the words are stretched out to make the paragraph look like a square. It turns the writing into a block. Don’t do it. You will lose marks, I promise you! Win the psychological game with your teacher: left-align your text.

A good essay paragraph is never ‘justified’.

I’m going to repeat this, because it’s important: to prevent your essay from looking like a big block of muddy, hard-to-read text align your text to the left margin only.

You want white space on your page – and lots of it. White space helps your reader scan through your work. It also prevents it from looking like big blocks of text.

You want your reader reading vertically as much as possible: scanning, browsing, and quickly looking through for evidence you’ve engaged with the big ideas.

The justified text doesn’t help you do that. Justified text makes your writing look like a big, lumpy block of text that your reader doesn’t want to read.

What’s wrong with Center-Aligned Text?

While I’m at it, never, ever, center-align your text either. Center-aligned text is impossible to skim-read. Your teacher wants to be able to quickly scan down the left margin to get the headline information in your paragraph.

Not many people center-align text, but it’s worth repeating: never, ever center-align your essays.

Don’t annoy your reader. Left align your text.

4. Your paragraphs must have a Topic Sentence

The first sentence of an essay paragraph is called the topic sentence. This is one of the most important sentences in the correct essay paragraph structure style.

The topic sentence should convey exactly what key idea you’re going to cover in your paragraph.

Too often, students don’t let their reader know what the key idea of the paragraph is until several sentences in.

You must show what the paragraph is about in the first sentence.

You never, ever want to keep your reader in suspense. Essays are not like creative writing. Tell them straight away what the paragraph is about. In fact, if you can, do it in the first half of the first sentence .

I’ll remind you again: make it easy to grade your work. Your teacher is reading through your work trying to determine what grade to give you. They’re probably going to mark 20 assignments in one sitting. They have no interest in storytelling or creativity. They just want to know how much you know! State what the paragraph is about immediately and move on.

Suggested: Best Words to Start a Paragraph

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing a Topic Sentence If your paragraph is about how climate change is endangering polar bears, say it immediately : “Climate change is endangering polar bears.” should be your first sentence in your paragraph. Take a look at first sentence of each of the four paragraphs above this one. You can see from the first sentence of each paragraph that the paragraphs discuss:

When editing your work, read each paragraph and try to distil what the one key idea is in your paragraph. Ensure that this key idea is mentioned in the first sentence .

(Note: if there’s more than one key idea in the paragraph, you may have a problem. See Point 9 below .)

The topic sentence is the most important sentence for getting your essay paragraph structure right. So, get your topic sentences right and you’re on the right track to a good essay paragraph.

5. You need an Explanation Sentence

All topic sentences need a follow-up explanation. The very first point on this page was that too often students write paragraphs that are too short. To add what is called ‘depth’ to a paragraph, you can come up with two types of follow-up sentences: explanations and examples.

Let’s take explanation sentences first.

Explanation sentences give additional detail. They often provide one of the following services:

Let’s go back to our example of a paragraph on Climate change endangering polar bears. If your topic sentence is “Climate change is endangering polar bears.”, then your follow-up explanation sentence is likely to explain how, why, where, or when. You could say:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing Explanation Sentences 1. How: “The warming atmosphere is melting the polar ice caps.” 2. Why: “The polar bears’ habitats are shrinking every single year.” 3. Where: “This is happening in the Antarctic ice caps near Greenland.” 4. When: “Scientists first noticed the ice caps were shrinking in 1978.”

You don’t have to provide all four of these options each time.

But, if you’re struggling to think of what to add to your paragraph to add depth, consider one of these four options for a good quality explanation sentence.

>>>RELATED ARTICLE: SHOULD YOU USE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS IN ESSAYS ?

6. Your need to Include an Example

Examples matter! They add detail. They also help to show that you genuinely understand the issue. They show that you don’t just understand a concept in the abstract; you also understand how things work in real life.

Example sentences have the added benefit of personalising an issue. For example, after saying “Polar bears’ habitats are shrinking”, you could note specific habitats, facts and figures, or even a specific story about a bear who was impacted.

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing an ‘Example’ Sentence “For example, 770,000 square miles of Arctic Sea Ice has melted in the past four decades, leading Polar Bear populations to dwindle ( National Geographic, 2018 )

In fact, one of the most effective politicians of our times – Barrack Obama – was an expert at this technique. He would often provide examples of people who got sick because they didn’t have healthcare to sell Obamacare.

What effect did this have? It showed the real-world impact of his ideas. It humanised him, and got him elected president – twice!

Be like Obama. Provide examples. Often.

7. All Paragraphs need Citations

Provide a reference to an academic source in every single body paragraph in the essay. The only two paragraphs where you don’t need a reference is the introduction and conclusion .

Let me repeat: Paragraphs need at least one reference to a quality scholarly source .

Let me go even further:

Students who get the best marks provide two references to two different academic sources in every paragraph.

Two references in a paragraph show you’ve read widely, cross-checked your sources, and given the paragraph real thought.

It’s really important that these references link to academic sources, not random websites, blogs or YouTube videos. Check out our Seven Best types of Sources to Cite in Essays post to get advice on what sources to cite. Number 6 w ill surprise you!

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: In-Text Referencing in Paragraphs Usually, in-text referencing takes the format: (Author, YEAR), but check your school’s referencing formatting requirements carefully. The ‘Author’ section is the author’s last name only. Not their initials. Not their first name. Just their last name . My name is Chris Drew. First name Chris, last name Drew. If you were going to reference an academic article I wrote in 2019, you would reference it like this: (Drew, 2019).

Where do you place those two references?

Place the first reference at the end of the first half of the paragraph. Place the second reference at the end of the second half of the paragraph.

This spreads the references out and makes it look like all the points throughout the paragraph are backed up by your sources. The goal is to make it look like you’ve reference regularly when your teacher scans through your work.

Remember, teachers can look out for signposts that indicate you’ve followed academic conventions and mentioned the right key ideas.

Spreading your referencing through the paragraph helps to make it look like you’ve followed the academic convention of referencing sources regularly.

Here are some examples of how to reference twice in a paragraph:

• If your paragraph was six sentences long, you would place your first reference at the end of the third sentence and your second reference at the end of the sixth sentence.
• If your paragraph was five sentences long, I would recommend placing one at the end of the second sentence and one at the end of the fifth sentence.

You’ve just read one of the key secrets to winning top marks.

8. Every Paragraph must be relevant to the Marking Criteria

Every paragraph must win you marks. When you’re editing your work, check through the piece to see if every paragraph is relevant to the marking criteria.

For the British: In the British university system (I’m including Australia and New Zealand here – I’ve taught at universities in all three countries), you’ll usually have a ‘marking criteria’. It’s usually a list of between two and six key learning outcomes your teacher needs to use to come up with your score. Sometimes it’s called a:

• Marking criteria
• Marking rubric
• (Key) learning outcome
• Indicative content

Check your assignment guidance to see if this is present. If so, use this list of learning outcomes to guide what you write. If your paragraphs are irrelevant to these key points, delete the paragraph .

Paragraphs that don’t link to the marking criteria are pointless. They won’t win you marks.

For the Americans: If you don’t have a marking criteria / rubric / outcomes list, you’ll need to stick closely to the essay question or topic. This goes out to those of you in the North American system. North America (including USA and Canada here) is often less structured and the professor might just give you a topic to base your essay on.

If all you’ve got is the essay question / topic, go through each paragraph and make sure each paragraph is relevant to the topic.

For example, if your essay question / topic is on “The Effects of Climate Change on Polar Bears”,

• Don’t talk about anything that doesn’t have some connection to climate change and polar bears;
• Don’t talk about the environmental impact of oil spills in the Gulf of Carpentaria;
• Don’t talk about black bear habitats in British Columbia.
• Do talk about the effects of climate change on polar bears (and relevant related topics) in every single paragraph .

You may think ‘stay relevant’ is obvious advice, but at least 20% of all essays I mark go off on tangents and waste words.

Stay on topic in Every. Single. Paragraph. If you want to learn more about how to stay on topic, check out our essay planning guide .

9. Only have one Key Idea per Paragraph

One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph.

Don’t forget!

Too often, a student starts a paragraph talking about one thing and ends it talking about something totally different. Don’t be that student.

To ensure you’re focussing on one key idea in your paragraph, make sure you know what that key idea is. It should be mentioned in your topic sentence (see Point 3 ). Every other sentence in the paragraph adds depth to that one key idea.

If you’ve got sentences in your paragraph that are not relevant to the key idea in the paragraph, they don’t fit. They belong in another paragraph.

Go through all your paragraphs when editing your work and check to see if you’ve veered away from your paragraph’s key idea. If so, you might have two or even three key ideas in the one paragraph.

You’re going to have to get those additional key ideas, rip them out, and give them paragraphs of their own.

If you have more than one key idea in a paragraph you will lose marks. I promise you that.

The paragraphs will be too hard to read, your reader will get bogged down reading rather than scanning, and you’ll have lost grades.

10. Keep Sentences Short

If a sentence is too long it gets confusing. When the sentence is confusing, your reader will stop reading your work. They will stop reading the paragraph and move to the next one. They’ll have given up on your paragraph.

Short, snappy sentences are best.

Shorter sentences are easier to read and they make more sense. Too often, students think they have to use big, long, academic words to get the best marks. Wrong. Aim for clarity in every sentence in the paragraph. Your teacher will thank you for it.

The students who get the best marks write clear, short sentences.

When editing your draft, go through your essay and see if you can shorten your longest five sentences.

(To learn more about how to write the best quality sentences, see our page on Seven ways to Write Amazing Sentences .)

11. Keep Quotes Short

Eighty percent of university teachers hate quotes. That’s not an official figure. It’s my guestimate based on my many interactions in faculty lounges. Twenty percent don’t mind them, but chances are your teacher is one of the eight out of ten who hate quotes.

Teachers tend to be turned off by quotes because it makes it look like you don’t know how to say something on your own words.

Now that I’ve warned you, here’s how to use quotes properly:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: How To Use Quotes in University-Level Essay Paragraphs 1. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 2. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 3. You should never start a sentence with a quote. 4. You should never end a paragraph with a quote. 5 . You should never use more than five quotes per essay. 6. Your quote should never be longer than one line in a paragraph.

The minute your teacher sees that your quote takes up a large chunk of your paragraph, you’ll have lost marks.

Your teacher will circle the quote, write a snarky comment in the margin, and not even bother to give you points for the key idea in the paragraph.

Avoid quotes, but if you really want to use them, follow those five rules above.

I’ve also provided additional pages outlining Seven tips on how to use Quotes if you want to delve deeper into how, when and where to use quotes in essays. Be warned: quoting in essays is harder than you thought.

Follow the advice above and you’ll be well on your way to getting top marks at university.

Writing essay paragraphs that are well structured takes time and practice. Don’t be too hard on yourself and keep on trying!

Below is a summary of our 11 key mistakes for structuring essay paragraphs and tips on how to avoid them.

I’ve also provided an easy-to-share infographic below that you can share on your favorite social networking site. Please share it if this article has helped you out!

11 Biggest Essay Paragraph Structure Mistakes you’re probably Making

1.  Your paragraphs are too short 2.  Your paragraphs are too long 3.  Your paragraph alignment is ‘Justified’ 4.  Your paragraphs are missing a topic sentence 5 .  Your paragraphs are missing an explanation sentence 6.  Your paragraphs are missing an example 7.  Your paragraphs are missing references 8.  Your paragraphs are not relevant to the marking criteria 9.  You’re trying to fit too many ideas into the one paragraph 10.  Your sentences are too long 11.  Your quotes are too long

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

4 thoughts on “11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)”

Hello there. I noticed that throughout this article on Essay Writing, you keep on saying that the teacher won’t have time to go through the entire essay. Don’t you think this is a bit discouraging that with all the hard work and time put into your writing, to know that the teacher will not read through the entire paper?

Hi Clarence,

Thanks so much for your comment! I love to hear from readers on their thoughts.

Yes, I agree that it’s incredibly disheartening.

But, I also think students would appreciate hearing the truth.

Behind closed doors many / most university teachers are very open about the fact they ‘only have time to skim-read papers’. They regularly bring this up during heated faculty meetings about contract negotiations! I.e. in one university I worked at, we were allocated 45 minutes per 10,000 words – that’s just over 4 minutes per 1,000 word essay, and that’d include writing the feedback, too!

If students know the truth, they can better write their essays in a way that will get across the key points even from a ‘skim-read’.

I hope to write candidly on this website – i.e. some of this info will never be written on university blogs because universities want to hide these unfortunate truths from students.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Regards, Chris

This is wonderful and helpful, all I say is thank you very much. Because I learned a lot from this site, own by chris thank you Sir.

Thank you. This helped a lot.

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What this handout is about

This handout will help you understand how paragraphs are formed, how to develop stronger paragraphs, and how to completely and clearly express your ideas.

What is a paragraph?

Paragraphs are the building blocks of papers. Many students define paragraphs in terms of length: a paragraph is a group of at least five sentences, a paragraph is half a page long, etc. In reality, though, the unity and coherence of ideas among sentences is what constitutes a paragraph. A paragraph is defined as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit” (Lunsford and Connors 116). Length and appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. For instance, in some styles of writing, particularly journalistic styles, a paragraph can be just one sentence long. Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer to this as the “controlling idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph.

How do I decide what to put in a paragraph?

Before you can begin to determine what the composition of a particular paragraph will be, you must first decide on an argument and a working thesis statement for your paper. What is the most important idea that you are trying to convey to your reader? The information in each paragraph must be related to that idea. In other words, your paragraphs should remind your reader that there is a recurrent relationship between your thesis and the information in each paragraph. A working thesis functions like a seed from which your paper, and your ideas, will grow. The whole process is an organic one—a natural progression from a seed to a full-blown paper where there are direct, familial relationships between all of the ideas in the paper.

The decision about what to put into your paragraphs begins with the germination of a seed of ideas; this “germination process” is better known as brainstorming . There are many techniques for brainstorming; whichever one you choose, this stage of paragraph development cannot be skipped. Building paragraphs can be like building a skyscraper: there must be a well-planned foundation that supports what you are building. Any cracks, inconsistencies, or other corruptions of the foundation can cause your whole paper to crumble.

So, let’s suppose that you have done some brainstorming to develop your thesis. What else should you keep in mind as you begin to create paragraphs? Every paragraph in a paper should be :

• Unified : All of the sentences in a single paragraph should be related to a single controlling idea (often expressed in the topic sentence of the paragraph).
• Clearly related to the thesis : The sentences should all refer to the central idea, or thesis, of the paper (Rosen and Behrens 119).
• Coherent : The sentences should be arranged in a logical manner and should follow a definite plan for development (Rosen and Behrens 119).
• Well-developed : Every idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately explained and supported through evidence and details that work together to explain the paragraph’s controlling idea (Rosen and Behrens 119).

How do I organize a paragraph?

There are many different ways to organize a paragraph. The organization you choose will depend on the controlling idea of the paragraph. Below are a few possibilities for organization, with links to brief examples:

• Narration : Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish. ( See an example. )
• Description : Provide specific details about what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like. Organize spatially, in order of appearance, or by topic. ( See an example. )
• Process : Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a sequence—first, second, third. ( See an example. )
• Classification : Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic. ( See an example. )
• Illustration : Give examples and explain how those examples support your point. (See an example in the 5-step process below.)

Illustration paragraph: a 5-step example

From the list above, let’s choose “illustration” as our rhetorical purpose. We’ll walk through a 5-step process for building a paragraph that illustrates a point in an argument. For each step there is an explanation and example. Our example paragraph will be about human misconceptions of piranhas.

Step 1. Decide on a controlling idea and create a topic sentence

Paragraph development begins with the formulation of the controlling idea. This idea directs the paragraph’s development. Often, the controlling idea of a paragraph will appear in the form of a topic sentence. In some cases, you may need more than one sentence to express a paragraph’s controlling idea.

Controlling idea and topic sentence — Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans.

Step 2. Elaborate on the controlling idea

Paragraph development continues with an elaboration on the controlling idea, perhaps with an explanation, implication, or statement about significance. Our example offers a possible explanation for the pervasiveness of the myth.

Elaboration — This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media.

Step 3. Give an example (or multiple examples)

Paragraph development progresses with an example (or more) that illustrates the claims made in the previous sentences.

Example — For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman.

Step 4. Explain the example(s)

The next movement in paragraph development is an explanation of each example and its relevance to the topic sentence. The explanation should demonstrate the value of the example as evidence to support the major claim, or focus, in your paragraph.

Continue the pattern of giving examples and explaining them until all points/examples that the writer deems necessary have been made and explained. NONE of your examples should be left unexplained. You might be able to explain the relationship between the example and the topic sentence in the same sentence which introduced the example. More often, however, you will need to explain that relationship in a separate sentence.

Explanation for example — Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear.

Notice that the example and explanation steps of this 5-step process (steps 3 and 4) can be repeated as needed. The idea is that you continue to use this pattern until you have completely developed the main idea of the paragraph.

Step 5. Complete the paragraph’s idea or transition into the next paragraph

The final movement in paragraph development involves tying up the loose ends of the paragraph. At this point, you can remind your reader about the relevance of the information to the larger paper, or you can make a concluding point for this example. You might, however, simply transition to the next paragraph.

Sentences for completing a paragraph — While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief.

Finished paragraph

Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans. This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media. For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman. Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear. While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief.

Troubleshooting paragraphs

Problem: the paragraph has no topic sentence.

Imagine each paragraph as a sandwich. The real content of the sandwich—the meat or other filling—is in the middle. It includes all the evidence you need to make the point. But it gets kind of messy to eat a sandwich without any bread. Your readers don’t know what to do with all the evidence you’ve given them. So, the top slice of bread (the first sentence of the paragraph) explains the topic (or controlling idea) of the paragraph. And, the bottom slice (the last sentence of the paragraph) tells the reader how the paragraph relates to the broader argument. In the original and revised paragraphs below, notice how a topic sentence expressing the controlling idea tells the reader the point of all the evidence.

Original paragraph

Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Revised paragraph

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Once you have mastered the use of topic sentences, you may decide that the topic sentence for a particular paragraph really shouldn’t be the first sentence of the paragraph. This is fine—the topic sentence can actually go at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph; what’s important is that it is in there somewhere so that readers know what the main idea of the paragraph is and how it relates back to the thesis of your paper. Suppose that we wanted to start the piranha paragraph with a transition sentence—something that reminds the reader of what happened in the previous paragraph—rather than with the topic sentence. Let’s suppose that the previous paragraph was about all kinds of animals that people are afraid of, like sharks, snakes, and spiders. Our paragraph might look like this (the topic sentence is bold):

Like sharks, snakes, and spiders, piranhas are widely feared. Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless . Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Problem: the paragraph has more than one controlling idea

If a paragraph has more than one main idea, consider eliminating sentences that relate to the second idea, or split the paragraph into two or more paragraphs, each with only one main idea. Watch our short video on reverse outlining to learn a quick way to test whether your paragraphs are unified. In the following paragraph, the final two sentences branch off into a different topic; so, the revised paragraph eliminates them and concludes with a sentence that reminds the reader of the paragraph’s main idea.

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. A number of South American groups eat piranhas. They fry or grill the fish and then serve them with coconut milk or tucupi, a sauce made from fermented manioc juices.

Problem: transitions are needed within the paragraph

You are probably familiar with the idea that transitions may be needed between paragraphs or sections in a paper (see our handout on transitions ). Sometimes they are also helpful within the body of a single paragraph. Within a paragraph, transitions are often single words or short phrases that help to establish relationships between ideas and to create a logical progression of those ideas in a paragraph. This is especially likely to be true within paragraphs that discuss multiple examples. Let’s take a look at a version of our piranha paragraph that uses transitions to orient the reader:

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, except in two main situations, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ instinct is to flee, not attack. But there are two situations in which a piranha bite is likely. The first is when a frightened piranha is lifted out of the water—for example, if it has been caught in a fishing net. The second is when the water level in pools where piranhas are living falls too low. A large number of fish may be trapped in a single pool, and if they are hungry, they may attack anything that enters the water.

In this example, you can see how the phrases “the first” and “the second” help the reader follow the organization of the ideas in the paragraph.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Lunsford, Andrea. 2008. The St. Martin’s Handbook: Annotated Instructor’s Edition , 6th ed. New York: St. Martin’s.

Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Write a Paragraph in an Essay

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The deadline for your essay is looming, but you're still not sure how to write your essay paragraphs or how to structure them. If that's you, then you're in good hands.

After the content of your essay, the structure is the most important part. How you arrange your thoughts in an essay can either support your argument or confuse the reader. The difference comes down to your knowledge of how to write a paragraph to create structure and flow in an essay. 

At its most basic level,  an essay paragraph comprises the following elements: (1) a topic sentence, (2) sentences that develop and support the topic sentence, and (3) a concluding sentence.

Also, when writing a paragraph or essay , keep in mind that most essays follow the five-paragraph model. This model involves writing an introductory paragraph, three paragraphs of supporting arguments, and a conclusion paragraph. 

In most cases, a paper of this length just won't cut it. However, remembering this formula can help you write key paragraphs in your essay, such as an introduction that states the main hypothesis, a body that supports this argument, and a conclusion that ties everything together.

Let's break down how to write a paragraph so you can get that essay written. 

Writing a paragraph means grouping together sentences that focus on the same topic so that the important points are easy to understand. In the body of an essay, each paragraph functions as its own point or argument that backs up the essay's main hypothesis. Each paragraph also includes evidence that supports each argument made. 

It helps to separate each paragraph idea in a quick essay outline before you start writing your paragraphs so you can organize your thoughts. It is also helpful to link each paragraph in a cohesive way that supports your hypothesis. For good paragraph writing to work, your readers will need to be able to clearly follow the ideas you're presenting throughout your essay.  

Essay paragraphs are important for organizing topics and thoughts and for creating readability and flow. Readers often skip large blocks of writing in blog posts, articles, or essays. It can be confusing when there are no breaks between different ideas or when thoughts flow one into the next without any discernible pauses. Knowing how to write a paragraph to help break up your content and ideas is essential for avoiding this.

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Writing a paragraph is easier when you follow a structure. An essay paragraph consists of around 250 words , with the sentence count varying from five to six or more, depending on the type of essay you're writing.

The structure of an essay paragraph includes the following: 

• A topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph that clearly states one idea
• Supporting sentences that explain the idea in the topic sentence and provide evidence to back up that idea 
• A concluding sentence that links back to the original topic sentence idea and segues to the next paragraph

Following this basic structure will ensure that you never have to wonder how to write a paragraph and will keep your essay structure consistent. 

What Is a Topic Sentence?

All good paragraph writing starts with a topic sentence. The topic sentence provides a brief summary of the content. In an essay's body, each paragraph begins with a topic sentence.

The topic sentence gives structure to a paragraph the same way a thesis gives structure to an essay. Both a thesis and a topic sentence state the main idea that drives the rest of the content. In the case of a paragraph, the topic sentence drives the rest of the paragraph content, and in the case of an essay, the thesis drives the rest of the essay content.

When writing a topic sentence, keep in mind that it should be

• The first sentence of your paragraph
• Specific, focusing on a specific area of your thesis statement
• The focus of your paragraph

There are two parts to every topic sentence: the topic, which is what the paragraph will be about, and the controlling idea, which is the paragraph's direction. For example, if your paragraph was about hamsters being great pets, that would be your topic, but your controlling idea might be that there are many reasons why hamsters are great pets.

A paragraph example with a good topic sentence would start out something like this: 

Hamsters are great pets for many reasons. They don't require extensive training, so no time-consuming obedience courses are necessary. They are also relatively inexpensive to own when compared to dogs or cats because they're low-maintenance. 

Examples of Effective Hooks

A paragraph in an essay should always use an effective hook. If you're hoping to grab the attention of your reader, it helps to start your paragraph with a compelling statement or question that will be of interest. 

Here are a few examples to use for inspiration: 

Most people would rather work to live than live to work, and the gig economy makes this possible. 

How important is it for today's influencers to rely on Instagram? 

Daily sugar intake has reached a staggering average of 25 teaspoons per person in the United States.

Supporting Sentences

Writing an essay paragraph is like building an effective and functional house. In the same way that each room has a purpose, each paragraph in your essay should have its own separate topic with supporting sentences . Paragraph writing can be simple if you think of it this way! 

The goal of supporting sentences is to provide evidence validating each topic in your paragraph. Each sentence provides details to help your reader understand the paragraph's main idea. 

If you have trouble coming up with supporting sentences to develop the main idea in your paragraph, try rephrasing your topic sentence as a question. For example, if you're writing about how all babies have three basic needs, ask, what are the three basic needs of all babies? 

At the end of your supporting sentences, add a concluding sentence that ties everything to the main argument of your essay. Repeat this for each supporting argument, and you'll have mastered the concept of how to write a paragraph. Read on for a paragraph example with supporting sentences. 

Supporting Sentence Examples

To get a feel for how to use supporting sentences in a paragraph in an essay, check out this basic example: 

Babies have three basic needs. First, babies need food. Depending on their age, they'll drink formula for their first meals and graduate to soft baby food later. Second, they need shelter. Babies need a safe place to live. Third, they need support. They need someone loving to look out for them and take care of them.  

How to Use Transitions

Knowing how to write a paragraph involves knowing how to use transitions .

Good essay paragraphs have transitions that help ideas flow clearly from one to the next. Given that your essay will include many different ideas and subtopics, your transitions will ensure that your information and ideas are well connected. 

If you're not familiar with transitions, they are words or phrases that connect ideas. They signal a connection between your topic sentence and your supporting sentences, but they also help readers connect ideas between paragraphs. 

At the beginning of a sentence, use a transition to segue into a new idea. At the beginning of each paragraph, use a transition to signal a new concept or idea that you will discuss.

However, try to avoid one-word transitions at the beginning of a paragraph, like "Since" or "While," because they don't usually provide enough information. Instead, try using transitional phrases between paragraphs (instead of words), such as "On the other hand" or "In addition to."  

Examples of Transitions

Here are a few examples of transitions — both one-word transitions and transitional phrases — to use in the paragraphs of your essay:  

• As a result
• For example
• By the same token
• Consequently
• In the meantime
• To summarize
• To conclude
• Undoubtedly
• Subsequently

Writing a paragraph in an essay can be simple if you understand basic paragraph structure. Additionally, it's helpful to keep in mind the structure of an essay and how each essay paragraph links together to form a fully developed argument or idea.

Creating an outline before you start writing your essay—which can also be described as a blueprint (to return to the metaphor of building a house)—is a great way to effectively arrange your topics, support your argument, and guide your writing.

Knowing how to write a paragraph is essential to communicating your thoughts and research, no matter the topic, in a way that is readable and coherent.

How Long Is a Paragraph?

An essay paragraph can vary in length depending on a variety of factors, such as the essay's type, topic, or requirements. Generally, essay paragraphs are three to five or more sentences, since each paragraph should have a fully developed idea with a beginning, middle, and end. 

However, all essays are different, and there are no hard and fast rules that dictate paragraph length. So, here are some guidelines to follow while writing a paragraph:  

• Stick to one idea per paragraph. 
• Keep your paragraphs roughly the same length. 
• Ensure that each page of your essay has 2 – 3 paragraphs.
• Combine shorter paragraphs into a larger one if the smaller paragraphs work together to express a single idea.

Overall, it's the paragraph writing itself that dictates a paragraph's length. Don't get too caught up in trying to reach a specific word count or number of sentences. Understanding this concept is key to knowing how to write a paragraph that conveys a clear and fully developed idea. 

How Do I Know When to Start a New Paragraph?

A new essay paragraph will always signal a new point or idea. Before you think about starting a new paragraph, ask yourself whether you are about to discuss something new that you haven't brought up yet. If the answer is yes, it warrants a new paragraph. 

The end of a paragraph functions as a break for your reader. If you've successfully developed and concluded an idea, you'll know that it's time to begin a new paragraph, especially if the material is long or complex. 

Every essay should have an introductory paragraph and a conclusion paragraph. But as long as you keep in mind that good paragraph writing means starting off with a new idea each time, you're in a good position to know when a new paragraph should begin. 

How Many Paragraphs Do I Need in My Essay?

The number of paragraphs you write in an essay will largely depend on the requirements of the essay. These requirements are usually dictated by an instructor.

For a short, 1-page essay, your instructor might require only three paragraphs. For a longer, 2- to 3-page essay, you might need five paragraphs. For longer essays, there could be up to seven to nine paragraphs. Any essay with more paragraphs than that is usually deemed a thesis or a research paper. 

At a minimum, an essay will always have at least three paragraphs: an introductory paragraph, a body paragraph, and a conclusion paragraph. Depending on the required word or page count or the type of essay (argumentative, informative, etc.), your essay could have multiple paragraphs expanding on different points. An argumentative essay, for example, should have at least five paragraphs. 

Therefore, the most important question to ask when deciding on your number of essay paragraphs is this: What does my professor expect from me? 

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3.5 WRITE: Instructions for Essay 01

• Write 2 to 3 pages double-spaced. The exact number of pages, paragraphs, or words is not important. The important thing is that your ideas are clear, complete, and compelling.
• Give your essay a title. Capitalize the first letter of each major word (do not capitalize conjunctions, prepositions, or articles unless they are the first word of the title). Use the CENTER button on the Google Docs or Word toolbar to center the title automatically and accurately.
• Use as many body paragraphs as necessary. Each body paragraph needs a clear topic sentence and supporting ideas. Use a variety of sentence types. Use your computer’s TAB key to indent the first line of each paragraph.
• Include an introduction with a thesis statement that contains a clear topic and claim followed by a preview of the main points.
• Support your ideas with specific details, descriptions, examples, and information from at least one outside source. We will learn formal citations for the second essay. Until then, use a simple attribution such as this: According to Title of Work  by Author Name (YEAR), [paraphrase] or “quoted material.”

Example: According to  Excellent English  by Timothy Krause (2019), the evidence is clear. “Students who can write well will receive higher pay,” says Krause.

• The conclusion should restate the thesis (topic + claim) in light of the information you provided in the body.
• For academic writing, use a formal tone. Write in third person, not first or second person (don’t use I, we , or  you ).
• Use academic vocabulary. Use transition signals ( first, next, also, however , etc.) to guide the reader.
• Remember to edit, proofread, and revise carefully, paying close attention to grammar and mechanics. Review the grading rubrics below and double check your essay for comma splices, subject-verb agreement, word forms, punctuation and spelling.
• Do your own work; do not plagiarize.

All out-of-class writing assignments must be typed. Use a regular font (not too big or little or crazy — for example: Times Roman 12). Assignments must be double-spaced (skip a line). Use approximately one-inch margins on all sides. Include your name and date in the upper left-hand corner. Put the page number in the upper right-hand corner with your last name like this: Krause 1 [but you should use your own last name].

Each draft is worth 10 points, however each draft is graded differently. The grading rubric for the first draft awards more points for content and organization, while the grading rubric for the second draft awards more points for grammar and mechanics.

• Grading Rubric for Draft Essay – See Appendix B
• Grading Rubric for Revised Essay – See Appendix C

MODEL ESSAY

Look in Appendix B for an example of a finished essay.

ANALYZE THE ASSIGNMENT

• What is the purpose of this essay?
• Who is your primary audience for this essay?
• What type of essay will this be? What will you say or show?
• What voice or point of view should you use in this essay?
• What evidence should you use to support your ideas?
• How long should this essay be?
• When is the draft version of this essay due?
• How will you submit the first draft of your essay?
• When is the revised version of this essay due?
• How will you submit the revised version of your essay?

Synthesis Copyright © 2022 by Timothy Krause is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to write a 4 paragraph essay.

"How to Write a 4-Paragraph Essay" underscores the importance of well-structured paragraphs and topic sentences in effective writing. Addressing the question, "What does a paragraph look like?" a paragraph is defined as a coherent series of sentences, all centered around a single topic. These organized units of writing play a crucial role in guiding the reader through the subdivisions of an essay, helping them discern the essay's organization and comprehend its key points. Paragraphs can encompass diverse information, such as examples, illustrations, descriptions of places, characters, processes, narration of events, comparisons, contrasts, classifications, or discussions on causes and effects.

Despite the variety of content paragraphs can contain, they all share common characteristics, with one of the most crucial being the presence of a topic sentence. This sentence acts as the anchor, encapsulating the main idea of the paragraph and providing readers with a clear understanding of the upcoming content. In essence, paragraphs serve as building blocks in crafting well-organized and coherent essays, ensuring a seamless flow of information for the reader.

Essay Structure - A 4-Paragraph Sample

A 4 paragraph essay may take any form. It could be an argumentative essay, compare and contrast essays, review essays, and so much more. Most four paragraphed essays usually review essays. However, some may be just requiring you to give your point of view on a matter. Therefore, you need to learn how to write this kind of essay. This article will equip you with the basic skills you need to learn to write a great 4 paragraph essay. The most important thing you need to know is how to structure an essay.

The structure of a four paragraph essay is very important as it demonstrates well-thought ideas. In general, these essays take the same structure as any other essay. A well-structured essay has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction gives information on the background of the topic and introduces the thesis of the essay. The introduction is followed by the body.

It should be noted that there should be a proper transition between the introduction and the body. The body of the essay contains well thought and explained ideas to support the thesis effectively. For a four-paragraph essay, the introduction should take up one paragraph. The body should be two paragraphs. Finally, the conclusion should tie all the points with the thesis, hence giving the reader a satisfactory answer to the initial question.

We do understand just how daunting a task is writing those four paragraph essays for undergraduate and postgraduate could be - the sleepless nights of trying to find the right words, the anxiety of not having enough words or not knowing what to cut down, the fear of "What if my essay is not good enough?" We can relate to all those feelings. The exciting thing is that the entire team at our custom writing service doesn't find essay writing daunting, and it would be our absolute delight to help you with your essays.

Components of a five-paragraph essay

A proper essay has three main components. They are the introduction, body, and conclusion.

The introduction of an essay is different from that of a research paper. For a research paper, the introduction contains background information on the subject you are to cover on the body. It also includes the thesis statement of the paper. For the case of an essay, the introduction does not give any background information; instead, it is supposed to be brief and captivating. The introduction of an essay should compel the reader to read on. When writing the introduction, do not state the obvious, for example, "this essay is about" or "the essay's topic is." Instead, begin with statements that will grab the attention of the reader, for example, a quote, dialogue, a story, or even an informative statement.

The body consists of your main argument. This is, however, dependent on the purpose of your essay. However, make sure that the transition from the introduction to the body is smooth. At his point, you aim to convince and explain to the reader about your topic. To do this, you will need to have a list of points you want to discuss. Therefore, the body should consist of these points with a detailed explanation. To form a solid argument, you should start with the strongest points, followed by the least strong. Major points should be in separate paragraphs. It is essential to ensure that you have relevant and correct examples to support your points. This will play well for you when persuading the reader.

The conclusion of an essay brings closure to the topic and summarizes the main ideas of the essay. Remind the reader of your thesis statement and show some comments to back it up. You could also suggest ways to solving a particular problem if your essay topic was based on such a topic.

How to write better essays

1. Come up with a topic and a title

The main thing is to come up with an effective topic and a title. Firstly, you must understand the functions of a title which include: prediction of content, catching the reader's attention, it reflects the tone as far as the writing is concerned, and finally, it does contain keywords that are easily searchable

A good title takes time to develop since if you fail to come up with a proper title, then everything will fall as you proceed to establish your essay and you will realize you're losing track in your writing.

2. Choose the principal idea, or thesis, of your essay.

A thesis for an essay is quite important and plays a vital role as well since it ensures that the reader has an idea regarding the essay and the discussions that as concerned with the essay. A thesis statement will bring forth the ideas of the essays direct to the reader, and that is why a thesis statement should be strong and to the point. It shouldn't be complicated and always remember that coming up with a well-stated thesis statement does ensure that the topic is effective and this grasps the attention of the reader. A thesis statement determines the destiny of your essay, and it does portray the effort put in by the writer in coming up with the topic and the resulting outline of the essay.

3. Outline your essay into introductory, body and summary paragraphs:

Introductory Paragraph

• Hook : Most people think that writing is something that only those with a born talent can ever do well.

• Thesis : Proper writing takes practice

• Links to the main ideas to be developed in the essay: Relentless practice and not giving up gives rise to the art of writing.

1st Body Paragraph

• Main idea: Practice leads to proper writing skills

• Support : Writing without prior practice and experience + example

• The Conclusion

2nd Body Paragraph

• Main idea: Prior writing experience has changed how writers bring forth their ideas in writing.

• Support : Prior writing experience enables writers to be more experienced and therefore becoming more creative and at the same time avoiding spelling mistakes and other grammatical errors

• Support : Writing what you have experienced makes it easy to come up with different topics, and as a writer, you are comfortable to write literary about anything that comes your way.

3rd Body Paragraph

• Main idea: Writing experience has changed how writers spend their time writing.

• Support : Writers with the least experience tend to take more time coming up with a specific material, and this might affect the rate at which they develop specific content material or a specific type of writing which they have been assigned.

• Support : Proper writing experience ensures that a writer can write more articles and without anything being compromised for example the quality and the degree of creativeness.

The Concluding Paragraph

• Review of main ideas of each paragraph

• Restatement of thesis: Proper writing takes practice

• Concluding thought: Writing will continue to demand practice and self-motivation.

How to improve writing skills in English for students

1. You need to start on a high note by using a question and most specifically a rhetoric one. This is within the introductory paragraph and the interesting sentence is defined as the hook which tends to capture the attention of the reader.

2. Next you have to come up with the thesis statement. This is everything when it comes to shaping the destiny of your essay.

3. Proceed to introduce the body paragraphs which you will link straight from the introduction. This ensures that the whole essay is connected

4. As you proceed with the body paragraphs, ensure that the main point is stated in the start of the body paragraphs. Ensure you have used examples as illustrations to support the main idea in each paragraph

5. Introduce the summary paragraph which only restates the central ideas of the body paragraphs

6. The last sentence generally restates the thesis of the essay which as discussed earlier on, builds the foundation of the entire essay.

7. The final statement: This can predict anything discussed and backed up in the essay body paragraphs with proper illustrations. At this stage, avoid introducing any new ideas.

How to write a good essay in English quickly in 6 steps

1. Go through the instructions

Before getting to the researching step, ensure to read the instructions first where they are provided. You could come up with the best essay but end up scoring a low grade or end up having your essay rejected as a result of not adhering to specified instructions. Ensure that you stick to the word limit, writing style, or any other guidelines which might be provided. Also, make sure that you submit your essay within the specified time to avoid penalties.

2. Research your topic

The next step is to understand your topic. The topic will either be provided, or you'll have the freedom to choose it yourself. If the topic is provided, this simplifies the option of searching for a topic. However, if it is not offered, the task of coming up with a topic that you can build on is upon you. This could work to your advantage. You could work on choosing a topic that you know is interesting to you. Regardless of the circumstances, it is crucial to conduct critical research on whichever topic you have at hand.

A visit to the library and the internet will usually provide all the information you need to write the essay. Ensure that you use credible sources in your research analysis. Take short notes to use later and arrange them properly to help make your work easier. This is important since you might not be able to remember everything you read from all your sources.

3. Prepare an outline for your essay

By taking a look at the notes you have made, you will find that you already have an idea of how your essay will be structured. You can use the points as a guiding factor to help you arrange your thoughts and make an outline of the essay. For example, at the top of a page, write your topic, and list down the main points. Leave a gap between each point. You can list the other minor points which are related to the main points in the gaps you previously left behind.

This is also a way for you to come up with a rough draft of your essay. The rough draft is the right way for you to find out whether your ideas fully work together; if you find that they do, you can move on to the next step.

4. Come up with a thesis statement

Having chosen your topic and using your outlined and drafted points, you can come up with your thesis statement. This helps the reader understand what the whole point of your essay is. Your main points are the indicators of your essay's theme. They will act as a guide to the reader to help them understand where you're going with your essay and why.

5. Write your essay

Now that you have everything you need, it is time to write your essay. Do not get hung up on details like finding the perfect vocabulary; instead, focus on writing your essay. Having written an outline and possibly a draft writing the essay should not be an issue.

6. Proofread and Edit

Once you're done with your essay, please go through it from the beginning and check that all the words flow together effortlessly. Check that the main objectives of your essay have been fulfilled and that your essay has answered the main issue that was being addressed. An important step is also to check that you have adhered to the rules that were provided at the beginning of your essay. If not, you'll have to correct them.

The next step is to edit any grammatical or typographical errors that might be present. Go through the essay several times to ensure that all available mistakes are corrected and that everything is where it should be.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your writing is get started early. It may be difficult at first, but an early start can make a world of difference to that essay for class. If you need help, why not buy cheap essays on our service in an easy, fast, and secure way that will never sacrifice your privacy for convenience -it's never worth it.

How to structure 4 paragraph Academic book reviews.

While there are many reasons to write an academic 4 paragraph book review, getting a "publication" is not one of them. Academic 4 paragraph book reviews rank somewhere below publishing in a semi-obscure conference proceedings, and somewhere slightly above "vaguely laudatory service to the profession.”

• order book review

Writing a 4 paragraph book review: nine top tips and things to avoid

• Look at past 4 paragraph book reviews they've published about similar books. After you've read the book, look at reviews for the same book from other major sources. Think about who reads the publication and what they most want out of a 4 paragraph book review. Read a bunch of 4 paragraph book reviews, especially from the journal that's asking you. Then you can get a sense for what is typically included in reviews in general, and in ones that you find helpful. Do not to be overly-effusive with praise. You want to be critical.

• E.g., if it's mostly teaching faculty reading this journal/site, they will want a review to address: can this be used in the classroom? Could students read it?

• There's bound to be something about it you like, so talk about that. Use lots of adjectives. It doesn't have to be lengthy and doesn't spoil the plot.

• Again the point here is not “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say it.” The point is writing this kind of essay requires you engage with the arguments the author presents, and don’t just slam them. An academic 4 paragraph book review is not a yelp review.

• Be keen to avoid typos and errata

• Don’t write an academic review of a book that you can't find anything redeemable about.

A 4 paragraph book review is an essential evaluation of a written text or an object, and this covers all the aspects of books, literature material, among many other forms that can be intertwined at this level. Things you should know about a 4 paragraph book review include:

• A review provides the reader with a concise summary of the entire content. This contains descriptions that are based on the topic and also its general argument and perspective or even purpose.

• A review does offer an essential assessment of the written material. It points out what you, as the reader, you find to be worth noting, whether it is captivating, persuasive, and how it made you feel about the whole issue.

• A review overly suggests at the end of the material at hand can be appreciated by an audience. 

How to write a 4 paragraph book review that is due in ...

1.    First, read the book, and as you are reading, make a few notes about the points you want to get across, and these can be in the form of questions:

• What are the author’s purposes and views regarding this book? - This can clearly be stated in such a few words in the preface of the book or the introduction part.

• What form of evidence does the author use to fortify the points he or she has made? Ask yourself if the evidence is compelling- Do points fully get supported by what the author brings forward as hard evidence?

• How does the book correspond to other books with the same topic relate? - Does this book have some unique aspects? Does it add original and new information, and what group of readers will find this book to provide utility? 

• Has the book been written by a professional writer? Does the author have the skills needed to write readable material?

• Which is an ideal level by which the book can criticize the book? Did the author manage to be successful in relaying his ideas across to the reader and achieve the main purpose of writing the book?

2.    Try to imagine you are telling your friend a story regarding something which may be interesting or not. When you do this, then it becomes much easier since you do not have to follow so many rules, which indeed lead to confusion, and then you’re caught in between the writer’s block since you are afraid of doing the wrong thing. A 4 paragraph book review is simple, and you shouldn’t over think it. Just write as if you are telling your friend a book you read last night.

3.    It is indeed imperative as you are telling your friend about the book you read that you do not forget to mention the name of the author. Remember, the story is not yours, and you should give credit where it’s due. It does not take much effort; just a second or two, and you have grasped that point as your professor is grading your paper.

4.    Make specific points regarding what you are planning to write. This makes it a lot easier, and I do it all the time. Make seven points (an example), then per every point, write a paragraph. It’s clear to see that this is the simplest method since you only need to write like 100 words per every point, and you are good to go. That’s an entire paper you’ve just written. Just make sure you list the points before you get to start writing your 4 paragraph book review.

5.    Before beginning to write your 4 paragraph book review, make sure you have made clear what your theme is since it’s quite disappointing if the reader of your 4 paragraph book review reads the entire text, and he or she doesn’t support what you have just reviewed. Make it clear at the beginning what you will be discussing about, and this makes it easier for everyone who is trying to read your 4 paragraph book review.

6.    You also have to grade the book as per its genre. Does it have one in the first place? Like, does it fall under drama, action & adventure, horror, satire, or even mystery? If it does, then state its genre. You have some points there from your professor!

7.    Think about the writing style the author has used. Does it appeal to your sense of humor? What do you like most about the narrative writing used, the descriptive or expository style used by the author. Comment on this the best way to like.

8.    Use quotes from the book itself. I mean, quotes from the author. This will give the reader some sense of authority that you indeed have read the book, and even if you are not agreeing or you agree with the author, it’s right to pass authorization to the author. Use parenthesis (and include page numbers), avoid self-citations; do not make your views on the topic since this is not your written work.

On the issue of self-citation:

• It would be reasonable to avoid repeating what is essential in the author’s work, but you would rather try a dialogue with other authors!

• At the early stage of 4 paragraph book reviewing, we tend to self-cite to boost overall citations. Avoid this pitfall. You will feel embarrassed at a later stage of career to see your papers filled with self-citations.

9.    I have stated this on point number 8, but I want to give you more details regarding the fact that you should not tell readers of your review what the book is about. Those are your views regarding the book, and they are STRICTLY not allowed since it’s not a written invitation to present your opinions regarding the book or the author. Your review should tell the readers if they should read the book, what is good about the book, or why they should not waste time reading the book altogether.

10.    Spend some time and do some light research regarding the author of the book. This information is vital since you will understand more why the author came up with such a book. A book comes from a writer’s mind, and it’s entirely appropriate that when you write a book, it will rotate around your life, your friends, early school life, etc. so a book is just an invitation to the mind of the author, and you have to explore effectively to come up with a well-written 4 paragraph book review.

Just a recap:

• Read the book and makes notes

• Write a 4 paragraph book review just like you’d imagine telling your friend a story

• State the author's name

• Plan your writing by making points

• State the theme of the 4 paragraph book review to readers during the early stages

• State the genre of the book

• State your opinion regarding the writing style used

• Quote the author in your text

• Do not write your ideas for the book. 

• Please do a deep dive and research EVERYTHING.

How to develop a 4 paragraph Book Report.

Instructors do like to assign 4 paragraph book report assignments, whether oral or in written format to 4th graders, and have you ever wondered why? Yes, you could think it’s an intentional way of forcing students to go deep into their books and read a large volume of books in the library. For sure, it’s even more than that if I can tell you the truth. Your instructor intends to broaden your understanding of today’s world and society, and that is precisely what good books do, they enlighten you to think and act the way the current trends in society expect you to behave regarding certain things. Books help in eye-opening and also in critical thinking. They aid in decision making, crucial eye-opening occurrences regarding experiences, and dealing with people too. This proves that a book is a tool that fully demonstrated that you have experienced reading books. 

What does a 4 paragraph book report include? - Depending on your grade level, 4 paragraph book report content may vary. A middle-grade 4 paragraph book report does provide the minimal or let’s say basic details as far as a book is concerned; for example, a plot summary, several comments regarding the scholar’s opinion, and general impressions. With 4 paragraph book reports that concern students on a higher educational level, you expect them to be a little more detailed and even to deal with themes and other complicated things that regard 4 paragraph book reports.

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Useful tips to help you write an outstanding 4 paragraph book report.

Before going too far with the body of your 4 paragraph book report, spend a few minutes to have all the following questions asked and answered at a personal level.

1)    Did you find the book to be enjoyable? - You can opt to answer this question, for example:

“The book was great; I learned so much about people as well as different cultures. What an amazing author and man.”

“I really love this book, and it’s quite a rare combination, an account of a daughter’s commitment to her dying father. The book was pleasurable to read, and Mike Smith writes gorgeously.”

“I liked the book but not very much; it’s just a book of a wonderful man, father, and grandfather. It’s also a book about diverse cultures. The author doesn’t have acute observations, and sympathy isn’t all that put together to bring the real picture of sad moments. It wasn’t achieved so well I’d say”

2)    Was it well written?

You can answer this question like this:

“The book is an account showing to what depths human beings can go to achieve something meaningful or worthy. The book is simply a well-written account depicting the struggle that human beings can reach. The book doesn’t, however, add anything significant to our knowledge-based regarding the first settlers of Poland.”

“It’s a well-written book, and it drew me from the very beginning. It made me feel like I was standing right there with them as they seek the treasures of the land. There are a lot of good books, and this is one of them actually. I truly enjoyed every part of it. Its rather crazy and fanciful story, though, but at its core, it unveils all aspects of today’s world and how human beings are, typically. It’s a powerful book.”

3)    What was the book’s genre?

Was the book a satire or an anthology which is among the most interesting genres, was it on this list? Philosophy, Biography, Business, Chick Lit, Children's, Christianity, Classics, Comics, Contemporary, Cookbooks, Crime, E-books, Fantasy, Fiction, Gay and Lesbian, Graphic Novels, Ancient Fiction, History, Horror, and finally thought the list could never be exhausted; Humor and Comedy.

4)   Who were the main characters?

 In fiction, which characters did play the most vital roles that intertwine well with the book's overall theme?

William Brown (The Travelling Horn Player)

William is a rebel child in Suburbia. His overall instincts are against what is termed as social-climbing and the humdrum. He has a way of befriending the outcasts.

Flashman (The Discworld Series)

Harry is funny, more honest, and ideally less harmful than the many brave fools whose paths he double-crosses. He is just an admirable rogue

5)    Did you notice ant reoccurring symbols?

In the book “The Old Man and The Sea,” lions are depicted to symbolize the youth, freedom, and immeasurable strength. 

The novella starts with the dream of Santiago, who dreamt about the lion on the beach. 

The lion does represent a hunter who is very wild, noble, and quite manly in nature and the lord and king of that specific area he is living in.

The lions also serve as a symbol of Santiago’s childhood as he reminisces seeing them on the beachside in Africa as he was sailing there as a youth man.

6)    Is the book part of a series?

Is the book part of a more significant collection of books? For example, Harry potter, hunger games, lord of the rings, a song of ice and fire, among other interesting book series ever produced.

7)    For non-fiction books, can you identify the writer’s thesis?

It’s essential to identify the thesis when it comes to non-fiction books. Typically you can simply identify this by being keen when a stance is developed that related to the topic of the book.

8)    What writing style is used in the book?

Does the author use expository writing, narrative writing, persuasive, or descriptive writing? Have you seen instances where the author has used more than one style of writing?

9)    Can a tone be noticeable in the book?

Has the author conveyed a tone in the book? For example, a tone can be introduced in a story using an adjective, which brings forth a feeling of fear, anxiety, excitement, worry. Foolish, smart or depressing moments

10)    Did you happen to come across intentional biases or slant?

You can easily detect bias and prejudice:

• Did the author use inflammatory text, for example, racial descriptions and slurs?

• Did the author make claims to demean?

• Did the author provide evidence which openly is meant to support one side while ignoring information that may demean what the author is trying to support?

11)    Conclusion of a 4th grade 4 paragraph book report.

There is not going to be a change in the conclusion that the few pages synopsis did not tell us. Read the book and then summarize it.

As you are concluding, consider to add the following impressions and opinions:

• Was the ending quite satisfactory for fiction stories?

• Did the evidence actively support the thesis? (Still in non-fiction)

• What facts can be noted as being interesting as far as the author is concerned?

• Finally, would you ever recommend this book to anyone?

Make sure that your conclusion covers an additional paragraph with these additional points. You can re-state the name of the author in this section as well (this entirely depends with your rubric)

Sample 4 paragraph book report 4 th grade

“This book I read was fascinating. Full of so many things. It had all of the makings of a great book. The story...really interesting. All of the characters had their own role to play. The conclusion was one of the best I've ever read." - DT 4 paragraph book report, c. 4th grade.

• Did you find the book to be enjoyable?

• Was it well written?

• Did you notice ant reoccurring symbols?

• Who were the main characters?

• Did you happen to come across intentional biases or slant?

• Is the book part of a series?

• For non-fiction books, can you identify the writer’s thesis?

• What writing style is used in the book?

• Can a tone be noticeable in the book?

• What was the book’s genre?

• Conclusion

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10.4: Writing Skills- From Paragraph to Essay

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In this unit, we will start to look at longer pieces of writing. Now that you have mastered paragraph writing, it is a relatively easy matter to use paragraphs to build clear, convincing essays. One of the most common essays in college is the five-paragraph essay.

What Does a Good Five-Paragraph Essay Look Like?

Look at this example:

How to Live to Be 100

In April, 2017, Ellen “Dolly” Gibb celebrated her 112th birthday, making her officially Canada’s oldest person. Born in Winnipeg in 1905, Dolly attributes her longevity to genetics and a healthy lifestyle: good food, little alcohol, no smoking, and plenty of walking. Can anyone live to be 112? While genetics play a role in determining how long a person will live, a lot depends on lifestyle. Your chances of celebrating your 100th birthday and beyond depend largely on three things: diet, exercise, and mental health.

First, it is important to eat sensibly. This means plenty of fruits and vegetables, fish, lean meats, and healthy fats. A good dinner, for example, might be salmon, vegetables, and a small potato. Or you could choose a slice of meat and a salad. For dessert, fresh fruit is always a good choice. On the other hand, people whose diets consist of processed food, such as microwaveable meals and packaged food are likely to find that they are not getting the nutrients they need. One good technique to make sure you get the vitamins your body needs is to make sure you eat something from every colour of the rainbow each day. You could, for example, eat a tomato (red), a few grapes (purple), a scrambled egg (yellow), and some broccoli (green). Eating a diet of fast food meals can be harmful to your health.

Second, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overemphasized. If you have a job that requires you to be active, that is ideal. However, many people have sedentary lifestyles; they need to work hard to ensure they get enough exercise. Some people say that they cannot exercise because they are too busy. Others claim that they cannot afford to join a gym. In truth, these people are just looking for an excuse. It is not necessary to buy the latest fitness equipment or join the trendiest gym to achieve a high level of physical fitness. Simple activities like walking are just as good. Walking has been shown to reduce rates of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; it is also good for respiratory issues. All you need is 30 minutes per day and a pair of comfortable shoes. It could make a big difference in your life. Other activities that are beneficial to health are team sports, such as soccer and softball, and solitary activities like yoga.

Finally, physical health is not enough; mental health is just as necessary. People whose lives are full of resentment and anger at other people are harbouring so many negative emotions that health is compromised. Similarly, toxic relationships are detrimental to health and longevity. Anyone who is being bullied or belittled by another person needs to take steps to sever the relationship and work towards rebuilding self-esteem. This is especially true in cases of physical or verbal abuse. For some people, religion or other forms of spiritual engagement provide emotional support in times of difficulty and help them to make sense of the world. Other people have no such beliefs, but they surround themselves with family members or friends who love and nurture them. So, if you want to live a long and healthy life, it is crucial to get rid of the emotional baggage you are carrying around and to surround yourself with love and positivity.

In conclusion, there is no guarantee of living a long, healthy life. However, there are steps that everyone can take to make the best of the years they have left. Three of the best things you can do are eat sensibly, exercise, and pay attention to your mental wellbeing. If you do those things, you are well on your way to a happy and healthy life.

What makes this a good essay?

• It is all about the same subject—ways to live a long and healthy life.
• All ideas flow in a logical order, from the introduction to the conclusion.
• There is plenty of detail to back up the writer’s initial statement that there are things you can do to maximize your chances of reaching old age.

How Should I Organize My Essay?

Think back to Unit 2. In that unit, you learned that a good paragraph can be compared to a hamburger. The top of the hamburger bun is the topic sentence; the main part of the hamburger is the supporting sentences; and the bottom of the bun is the concluding sentence.

A five-paragraph essay is exactly the same:

• The top of the bun is the introduction (paragraph 1). It needs to look good, so that your readers will want to continue. The introduction usually contains a thesis statement . This is a one-sentence statement of what you want to say in your essay. Everything in your essay is governed by this thesis statement. You could say that it is the most important sentence in your essay.
• The main part of the hamburger is the body of your essay (paragraphs 2, 3, and 4). This is where you will find the “meaty” part of the essay: details, statistics, examples, and so on. Every piece of information is chosen because it supports the thesis statement.
• The bottom of the bun is your conclusion (paragraph 5). As with the concluding sentence in a paragraph, the purpose of the conclusion is to sum up what you have said, and to give some form of advice, prediction, or call to action.

Sections of the Paragraph: Helpful Tips

Introduction.

DO                 

• Make it clear to the reader what your essay is about.
• Start with something that “grabs” the reader, such as a shocking statistic or story.
• Give any necessary background and suggest why this topic is important.
• Give a strong thesis statement: what do you want to say about the topic?

DON’T           

• Make it too long. The introduction should be no more than 15−20% of your essay.
• Say, “This essay is about …” What do you want to say about it?

Body paragraphs

• Make sure each paragraph supports the main idea (thesis statement) of the essay.
• Include only one main idea in each paragraph.
• Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence.
• Include plenty of evidence: facts, details, examples, stories, numbers, and any other information that improves your argument.
• Introduce different paragraphs with words like First , Next , In addition , Moreover , Finally .

DON’T

• Include paragraphs that have no connection to your thesis statement.
• Have more than one main idea in each paragraph.
• Make “sweeping statements” (generalizations).  Do not make an extreme statement without giving details to support it.
• Summarize your key points.
• Make recommendations, suggestions, and/or predictions. What should happen next?
• Start with a phrase like In conclusion, … or To conclude, … or To sum up, …
• Make it too long. Aim for no more than 15% of your essay.
• Introduce a lot of new information here.
• Forget the conclusion! It needs to be there to signal the end of your essay.

You Try It!

Look again at the essay called How to Live to Be 100 . Make an outline of the essay by completing the table below.

In Bring It Together: Writing Task you will write a five-paragraph essay on the topic of heath. Use what you have learned in this section to help you.

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4 Paragraph Essay Outline and example.

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4 Paragraphs Essay

Introduction to a 4 paragraph essay..

A 4 paragraph essay can take any arrangement; it might be a compare and contrast essay, an argumentative essay, or a review essay. Many four-paragraph essays typically are review essays. But, a few may only require one to offer a viewpoint on a subject. Thus, you must learn how to write this type of essay. The most vital thing you should understand is how to organize the essay.

4 paragraph essay is incredibly vital in two circumstances — when authors are only starting and when a writing task is timed. The 4 paragraph essay is applied at all education levels and provides a basic format that enables students to present their thought briefly. This article will provide you with the fundamental skills you require to know to write an excellent four-paragraph paper.

Writing a 4 Paragraph Essay like A Pro.

Writing a 4 paragraph paper like a pro will need you to incorporate an introduction, body paragraphs, or a conclusion. An introduction paragraph should always start with a “hook,” which will make the reader interested in the essay. You need to use a statistic or startling statement, personal narrative, rhetorical question, or a quote. Writers should avoid the unoriginal and overused dictionary explanation introductory.

After the starter, you need to offer background material on the subject that must tell readers the essay’s purpose, besides what they need to anticipate to read. Likewise, include a powerful thesis statement. The thesis statement offers readers a shortened version of the argument or analysis that you will argue in the paper. These are usually between one and two sentences and are placed as the last sentence of the introductory paragraph. A good thesis statement evades vague language besides being argumentative and specific.

Furthermore, incorporate a topic sentence that reveals the paragraph’s key emphasis by noting one of the opinions acknowledged in the thesis statement. It would help if you offered supporting sentences, which provide proof for your claim, and end the paragraph with a personal analysis or observation.

The body paragraphs need to include a strong topic sentence, explanations, and quotes that support confirmation you have discovered. This is the moment when you have the opportunity to prove the thesis to the readers. The writer needs to have strong proof that backs the assertion you are making to do this. Lastly, incorporate a conclusion that restates the thesis statement, affirming how it has been established in the body paragraphs.

Likewise, the conclusion must have the essay’s summary of the prominent opinions and a reason for how they are associated. Finally, you need to explain why your essay topic is crucial and why it must matter to the reader.

How to write a 4 Paragraph Essay Fast.

Develop an outline:.

Although inscribing a four-paragraph essay in a limited time may appear daunting, it is undoubtedly achievable with proper time management and planning. Hence, it is important that before you begin writing, outline the essay. This could look like a big waste of valued time, yet it might save writers from having to restructure or rewrite the essay once they begin writing.

Understand the question of the essay:

The paper will possibly be guided by a prompt or a question, such as a quote using a question. The writer must read the question wisely and comprehend what is being asked.

Brainstorm the thesis statement:  

The thesis statement can communicate to your reader the arguments or points you will make in the essay. This acts as a guide for your essay and the need to answer the problem. Thus it needs to take a stand and announce the topic’s position.

Have a strong comprehension of the topic:

Always comprehend your selected subject. Do not assemble a large amount of data for about a two-page essay. Hence if you are not confident about instructions, ask your instructor.

Pay attention to body paragraphs:

This phase is done quickly when the writer has a good strategy. The central part typically incorporates paragraphs. These paragraphs need to create each thesis level and discuss the statement. Every paragraph needs to have a subject with an introductory sentence. It describes the paragraph essence that follows. 

What to Know when Writing a 4 Paragraph Essay

A few tips that may assist you when inscribing a four-paragraph essay include having a well-written starter that is perfect. Likewise, demonstrating a good position when writing the introduction of an essay . You should know that you are allowed to oppose or propose any subject only when the paper recommends that you do so.

Always make sure you do not focus on an individual argument. For example, if the initial paragraph supports the title, the following paragraph needs to be negative, which implies you must not support the subject. The third need not be similar to the first one, yet it must back the subject. When noting the final paragraph (conclusion), you must never involve an innovative point. By combining opposing and proposing, the essay might seem more different, reasonable, and researched.

When writing a four-paragraph essay, try to demonstrate your opinions. Write all new points in different paragraphs to offer easy flow and comprehension of the paper. Therefore, you should not forget to propose or oppose the topic; and you need always to offer proof that backs your argument that helps reinforce your opinion when writing the essay.

After stating your thoughts and views in the body of the essay, try to focus on the concluding paragraph. Here you have to summarize the vital points you explained in the body paragraphs. Discuss your stance on the subject that you were either opposing or supporting. In conclusion, what you will inscribe must reason with the written body paragraphs.

4 Paragraph Essay Example

NOTE: This essay example can only be used as a guide when writing such. You cannot submit it as your own because it will hurt your grades. If you need such kind of an essay written for you, we have proffesional online writers who are available 24/7 to help you with your essay.

Topic: Students Who Study Abroad Achieve Greater Success.

Much of the learning occurs outside the class and thus helps people understand how to keep budgets, develop business associations, and forge friendships. Extending those abilities on a national dimension would cease to trust the globe but, instead, various customs, beliefs, ethics, and opinions. This is why every college-level learner must study abroad during their undergraduate period (Schenker 150). They will understand more in that semester compared to in any other local educational year. Therefore this paper argues that students who study abroad achieve greater success because of their global acceptance and invaluable worldwide connections.

According to Petzold and Petra, learners who study abroad are more likely to be globally acknowledged in the undergraduate degree program of their selection (45). Indeed, around ninety percent of learners who studied abroad with IES are allowed to their 1st or 2nd selection for graduate learning. For instance, a learner who studied abroad can walk to an interview and confidently discuss how to prepare the most famous Indian dish or organize the best path to consider from New York to Alabama in the United States. This will develop memorable communication, and show a learner’s fierce determination and independence. This makes an individual who has studied abroad a more preferred applicant for their desired job. Schenker has affirmed that around ninety-seven percent of the learners who study abroad get employment less than twelve months after graduation (145).

Outside college, learners who study abroad are always victorious in the working environment. It will assist them in developing an invaluable connection with individuals worldwide.

A learner can broaden their international association while having the chance to meet individuals that might turn into lifelong peers. A few relationships may result in occupational opportunities, including job offers, business associates, and internships.

The university where a learner studies will frequently have a broad society of learners from local areas and abroad, offering them the chance to encounter individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds. The broader the network, the higher the likelihood they will be related to exciting social and career opportunities (Butler et al. 25). Their widened perspective will assist them in connecting with their co-workers, particularly in a global organization. This developed knowledge scope enables around twenty-five percent of learners who study abroad to have more starting wages. That is actual proof that workers cherish their views and experiences.

Studying abroad has prolonged, positive consequences on a learner’s future as a professional and an academic. It may be a life-transforming encounter for learners. From developing a worldwide network to encountering a new culture, the importance of career and education are vital. New doors of opportunity will be open when an undergraduate boards a plane. Global encounter used to be a “nice-to-have” technique in a graduate’s curriculum vitae. It has become among the most vital elements of a twenty-first-century academic. It directly influences study abroad on cognitive capacity, learner success, and creativity.

Works Cited

Butler, Paige E., Meggan Madden, and Nickie Smith. “Undocumented Student Participation in Education Abroad: An Institutional Analysis.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad 30.2 (2018): 1-31.

Petzold, Knut, and Petra Moog. “What shapes the intention to study abroad? An experimental approach.” Higher Education 75.1 (2018): 35-54.

Schenker, Theresa. “Fostering Global Competence through Short-Term Study Abroad.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad 31.2 (2019): 139-157.

Conclusion .

The 4 paragraph essay just like a 5-paragraph essay involves an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion but only varies on the number of paragraphs in the body. Understanding these sections will readily assist in comprehending the arrangement of every part and the required data given that adds to the research. The outline of a four-paragraph essay is simple to follow.

Whenever you opt to write, you might require to be sure that you select the best theme that you will require to be more focused on. Selecting a title or topic is very significant. This is because you must be sure that you will struggle to inscribe an essay. Essays have an aim to enlighten.

This is only likely when the essay is objective and balanced. It is a reality that it is difficult to write a unique conclusion to an essay if the body and introduction are not well established. You have to understand your topic and be capable of making it as particular as possible. Likewise, learn the challenges involved in the theme and present them well in the essay body. The theme directs you on the concept of the entire essay, thus, making it simpler to write.

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How to Write a 4-Paragraph Essay

Essays come in all shapes and sizes, but one of the most common that students encounter is the 4-paragraph essay. This type of essay is a great way to present an argument or analysis while being relatively short. 

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The key to writing a successful 4-paragraph essay is having a clear structure and focus. In this article, I’ll review the essential elements for crafting a well-organized and thoughtful 4-paragraph essay.

The Introduction

The introduction is the first and most important paragraph of your essay. This is where you hook the reader’s attention, provide background information, and present your thesis statement.

Your introduction should start with an attention-getter or hook that draws your reader in. 

This can be a surprising fact, statistic, or short anecdote related to your topic. Just ensure it ties into the broader topic you’ll discuss in the essay.

After your hook, you’ll provide a sentence or two of background information or context leading to your thesis statement. The key is giving enough context so the reader understands your topic and its significance while not going into too much detail.

Finally, you’ll end your intro paragraph with a concise thesis statement. Your thesis will convey the main argument or position you will take throughout the essay. Typically, 1-2 sentences summarize the key points you will make.

A good thesis statement is specific, takes a stand, expresses an opinion, and is easy to understand. For example: “Social media has many benefits, but it also comes with dangers, including cyberbullying and internet addiction.” This thesis reviews the two main points that will be discussed in the essay.

A Strong Thesis Statement

Since your thesis statement is so critical to the effectiveness of your essay, it’s worth digging deeper into how to craft a strong one. An effective thesis statement:

• Clearly expresses the main idea or position of your essay
• Is narrow and specific enough to be fully addressed within a 4-paragraph essay
• Takes a stand or expresses an opinionated view rather than just stating facts
• Uses clear, direct language rather than vague or general wording
• Provides a roadmap for your essay by previewing the main points
• Appears at the end of your introductory paragraph

Your thesis sets the direction for your entire essay, so take the time to craft a focused statement that telegraphs where you will go in the body paragraphs. Avoid being vague, unclear, or making overly broad claims you can’t back up. The goal is to direct readers to where the essay will take them.

Topic Sentence

After grabbing your reader’s attention with the introduction and thesis statement, your next paragraphs will cover the essay’s body.

Each body paragraph should start with a topic sentence that supports your thesis statement. The topic sentence states the main idea or argument of that paragraph. 

It serves as a mini-thesis for the paragraph’s message and how it connects back to your broader thesis.

For a 4-paragraph essay, you’ll need one topic sentence for each of the 2 body paragraphs. Consider the following examples:

• Thesis statement : Social media use can lead to cyberbullying and internet addiction, even though it has some benefits.
• Topic sentence for 1st body paragraph : One major danger of social media is the rise of cyberbullying among young users.
• Topic sentence for 2nd body paragraph : Excessive use of social media platforms can also lead to internet addiction, which has negative psychological impacts.

Your topic sentences should all clearly tie back to supporting and proving your original thesis statement. The topic sentence focuses on the paragraph and tells readers what to expect.

Structuring the Body Paragraphs

After writing a solid topic sentence, you must structure the rest of the body paragraph to support it. Each body paragraph should contain the following:

• Topic sentence
• Explanation and analysis
• Examples and evidence
• Concluding sentence

The explanation and analysis will take up the bulk of the paragraph, as this is where you elaborate on the topic and thesis statement. Be sure to use strong evidence and examples to back up your claims. Statistics, facts, expert opinions, anecdotes, and research studies provide powerful supporting evidence.

End the paragraph with a concluding sentence that summarizes the main point or ties back to the broader thesis. This helps transition smoothly to the next body paragraph.

A body paragraph structure may look like:

• A topic sentence stating the danger of cyberbullying due to social media.
• Explanation of how cyberbullying occurs on social media platforms and common types, such as trolling or harassing. Analysis of why social media enables cyberbullying, including anonymity and lack of consequences.
• Examples and statistics demonstrating the rise in cyberbullying and its effects. Reference specific cyberbullying cases and research.
• Concluding sentence about how the evidence presented shows cyberbullying on social media is a major risk.

The Conclusion

The final paragraph of your essay will summarize the main points and restate your thesis in light of the evidence provided. Your conclusion should:

• Restate your thesis statement using different words
• Summarize and drive home the main points made in each body paragraph
• End with a concluding statement or call to action when appropriate.

Do not simply repeat chunks of your thesis or body paragraphs verbatim. The goal is to reinforce your central argument using fresh language. Leave the reader with a clear sense of your position on the topic.

You can briefly touch on the broader implications of your topic or argument, pose a rhetorical question, or issue a call to action when suitable. Just keep it short and tied back to your focus.

End the essay decisively rather than just trailing off, even if you write a 4-paragraph essay. A clear, concise conclusion will leave your reader with a final, memorable impression of your central idea.

Final Thoughts on how to write a 4-paragraph essay

Writing a 4-paragraph essay may seem simple but requires tightly focused analysis and arguments. With an engaging hook, well-structured body paragraphs, and a concise conclusion, you can craft a compelling short-form essay using this framework. 

Remember to state your thesis clearly, choose strong supporting evidence, and structure your paragraphs purposefully. Follow these steps to have the fundamental pieces in place for an effective 4-paragraph essay.

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• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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