How to Write How to Write an Essay an Essay

Your Guide to Organizing and Your Guide to Organizing and Write a Five Paragraph EssayWrite a Five Paragraph Essay

What is an EssayA basic essay consists of three main parts: • INTRODUCTION• THREE BODY PARAGRAPHS• A CONCLUSION

The IntroductionThe introduction guides the reader into your paper by grabbing attention and introducing the topic.

A good introduction contains three elements:1) The Hook2) The Bridge3) The Thesis

1) The Hook Introduce your essay with a HOOK.

This is merely a catchy first sentence that will grab the reader’s attention

A hook can be a: A statistic A question A surprising/shocking statement A famous quote

For example, if your topic was on dogs, you might use any of the following to hook your audience.

Did you know that more people prefer the company of dogs over cats?

OR 68% of Canadians have owned or currently own a dog

OR “Dog is man’s best friend”.

Your Turn• Topic: Should the Driving age be

reduced?

• You can use the internet or make up any information to “hook” your audience

The Bridge In the bridging sentence,

you then talk about your topic briefly. You need to connect your hook to the overall topic.

Start leading your audience to your point of view

The Thesis The thesis statement presents the focus of your writing.

It includes the topic of the essay, as well as the writer’s position in relation to the topic. It is the main idea of your writing.

Thesis statement = subject + a + b + c

a, b, and c are the arguments you will use to support the subject of your essay.

Example:Topic: PetsSubject: dogs make the best petsArgument a: They are loyalArgument b: they are smartArgument c: they are playful

Thesis statement: Dogs make the best pets because they are loyal, smart, and playful.

Introduction: I am a movie fanatic. When friends want to know what picture won the Oscar in 1980 or who played the police chief in Jaws, they ask me. My friends, though, have stopped asking me if I want to go out to the movies. Going to the movies has become a hazardous activity for me because of the problems in getting to the theater, the theater itself, and the behavior of some patrons.

► Hook► Bridge► Thesis Statement (opinion) ► A + B + C

Sample Essay: The Hazards of Moviegoing

The Body ParagraphsFirst Reason Paragraph Transition word (First)Answer Prove with supporting details (Facts, Reasons, Incidents, Examples, and/or Statistics)Explain how your proof supports your idea

Second Reason Paragraph Transition word (second) Answer Prove with supporting details (Facts, Reasons, Incidents, Examples, and/or Statistics)Explain how your proof supports your idea                     Third Reason Paragraph Transition word (Third) Answer Prove with supporting details (Facts, Reasons, Incidents, Examples, and/or Statistics)Explain how your proof supports your idea

The Conclusion• Transition Word (In conclusion)

• Statement reflecting back on thesis

• Restatement of key points

• Concluding Statements

MLA Format

Smith 1

Lisa Smith

Mrs. Montgomery

ENG1D0

14 February 2015

Essay Title

There are certain rules that always need to be followed when writing an essay. Always use MLA style to

format your essay. After you have created the proper format, you can start writing your introduction.

Remember that the introduction contains the hook, bridging sentence, and thesis statement.

Body: Supporting Paragraph # 1 First of all, just getting to the theater presents difficulties. You have to leave your

comfortable house that is equipped with a TV, Netflix, Ipad, and DVD player to stand in a long line to purchase tickets to seats that are uncomfortable and possible not in your desired location. It is much more easier to stay in your home where you have a comfortable couch, you do not have to stand at the end of a human chain, worry about whether there will be enough tickets, whether you will get seats together, and whether many people will sneak into the line ahead of you.

► Transitional Word► Answer #1► Prove # 1► Explain #1

Body: Supporting Paragraph # 2 Second, once you have made it to the box

office and gotten your tickets and sat down, you are confronted with the problems of the theater itself. Whether the theater is old or new, it will have floors that seem to be coated with rubber cement. By the end of a movie, shoes almost have to be pried off the floor because of the spilled pop, hardening bubble gum, and crushed Jujubes. If you were to stay at home, you would be rest assured that your floors were clean and you that you won’t be stepping in someone else's used up gum.

► Transitional Word ►Answer #2 ►Prove #2►Explain #2

Body: Supporting Paragraph # 3 Third, some of the patrons are even more of a problem than the theater itself. Little kids race up and down the aisles,

usually in giggling packs, and teenagers often try to impress their friends by talking back to the screen, whistling, and making what they consider to be hilarious noises. If you were to just stay at home, you would not have to put up with anyone else’s noises and could enjoy your movie in peace and quiet.

► Transitional Word► Answer #3 ► Prove # 3► Explain # 3

Conclusion In conclusion, after arriving home from the

movies one night, I decided that I was not going to be a moviegoer anymore. I was tired of the problems involved in getting to the movies, dealing with the theater itself, and some of the patrons. Because of that, I started streaming movies online. I'll be more relaxed watching box office hits in the comfort of my own living room.

►Transitions►Statement reflecting back on thesis ►Restatement of reason A►Restatement of reason B►Restatement of reason C►Concluding statements