five paragraph essay norsk

Essay Papers Writing Online

Ultimate guide to writing a five paragraph essay.

Are you struggling with writing essays? Do you find yourself lost in a sea of ideas, unable to structure your thoughts cohesively? The five paragraph essay is a tried-and-true method that can guide you through the writing process with ease. By mastering this format, you can unlock the key to successful and organized writing.

In this article, we will break down the five paragraph essay into easy steps that anyone can follow. From crafting a strong thesis statement to effectively supporting your arguments, we will cover all the essential components of a well-written essay. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned writer, these tips will help you hone your skills and express your ideas clearly.

Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering the Five Paragraph Essay

Writing a successful five paragraph essay can seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach and strategies, it can become much more manageable. Follow these steps to master the art of writing a powerful five paragraph essay:

• Understand the structure: The five paragraph essay consists of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph serves a specific purpose in conveying your message effectively.
• Brainstorm and plan: Before you start writing, take the time to brainstorm ideas and create an outline. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that your essay flows smoothly.
• Write the introduction: Start your essay with a strong hook to grab the reader’s attention. Your introduction should also include a thesis statement, which is the main argument of your essay.
• Develop the body paragraphs: Each body paragraph should focus on a single point that supports your thesis. Use evidence, examples, and analysis to strengthen your argument and make your points clear.
• Conclude effectively: In your conclusion, summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a new way. Leave the reader with a thought-provoking statement or a call to action.

By following these steps and practicing regularly, you can become proficient in writing five paragraph essays that are clear, coherent, and impactful. Remember to revise and edit your work for grammar, punctuation, and clarity to ensure that your essay is polished and professional.

Understanding the Structure of a Five Paragraph Essay

When writing a five paragraph essay, it is important to understand the basic structure that makes up this type of essay. The five paragraph essay consists of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Introduction: The introduction is the first paragraph of the essay and sets the tone for the rest of the piece. It should include a hook to grab the reader’s attention, a thesis statement that presents the main idea of the essay, and a brief overview of what will be discussed in the body paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs: The body paragraphs make up the core of the essay and each paragraph should focus on a single point that supports the thesis statement. These paragraphs should include a topic sentence that introduces the main idea, supporting details or evidence, and explanations or analysis of how the evidence supports the thesis.

Conclusion: The conclusion is the final paragraph of the essay and it should summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs. It should restate the thesis in different words, and provide a closing thought or reflection on the topic.

By understanding the structure of a five paragraph essay, writers can effectively organize their thoughts and present their ideas in a clear and coherent manner.

Choosing a Strong Thesis Statement

One of the most critical elements of a successful five-paragraph essay is a strong thesis statement. Your thesis statement should clearly and concisely present the main argument or point you will be making in your essay. It serves as the foundation for the entire essay, guiding the reader on what to expect and helping you stay focused throughout your writing.

When choosing a thesis statement, it’s important to make sure it is specific, debatable, and relevant to your topic. Avoid vague statements or generalizations, as they will weaken your argument and fail to provide a clear direction for your essay. Instead, choose a thesis statement that is narrow enough to be effectively supported within the confines of a five-paragraph essay, but broad enough to allow for meaningful discussion.

By choosing a strong thesis statement, you set yourself up for a successful essay that is well-organized, coherent, and persuasive. Take the time to carefully craft your thesis statement, as it will serve as the guiding force behind your entire essay.

Developing Supporting Arguments in Body Paragraphs

When crafting the body paragraphs of your five paragraph essay, it is crucial to develop strong and coherent supporting arguments that back up your thesis statement. Each body paragraph should focus on a single supporting argument that contributes to the overall discussion of your topic.

To effectively develop your supporting arguments, consider using a table to organize your ideas. Start by listing your main argument in the left column, and then provide evidence, examples, and analysis in the right column. This structured approach can help you ensure that each supporting argument is fully developed and logically presented.

Additionally, be sure to use transitional phrases to smoothly connect your supporting arguments within and between paragraphs. Words like “furthermore,” “in addition,” and “on the other hand” can help readers follow your train of thought and understand the progression of your ideas.

Remember, the body paragraphs are where you provide the meat of your argument, so take the time to develop each supporting argument thoroughly and clearly. By presenting compelling evidence and analysis, you can effectively persuade your readers and strengthen the overall impact of your essay.

Polishing Your Writing: Editing and Proofreading Tips

Editing and proofreading are crucial steps in the writing process that can make a significant difference in the clarity and effectiveness of your essay. Here are some tips to help you polish your writing:

1. Take a break before editing: After you finish writing your essay, take a break before starting the editing process. This will help you approach your work with fresh eyes and catch mistakes more easily.

2. Read your essay aloud: Reading your essay aloud can help you identify awkward phrasing, grammar errors, and inconsistencies. This technique can also help you evaluate the flow and coherence of your writing.

3. Use a spelling and grammar checker: Utilize spelling and grammar checkers available in word processing software to catch common errors. However, be mindful that these tools may not catch all mistakes, so it’s essential to manually review your essay as well.

4. Check for coherence and organization: Make sure your ideas flow logically and cohesively throughout your essay. Ensure that each paragraph connects smoothly to the next, and that your arguments are supported by relevant evidence.

5. Look for consistency: Check for consistency in your writing style, tone, and formatting. Ensure that you maintain a consistent voice and perspective throughout your essay to keep your argument coherent.

6. Seek feedback from others: Consider asking a peer, teacher, or tutor to review your essay and provide feedback. External perspectives can help you identify blind spots and areas for improvement in your writing.

7. Proofread carefully: Finally, proofread your essay carefully to catch any remaining errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting. Pay attention to details and make any necessary revisions before submitting your final draft.

By following these editing and proofreading tips, you can refine your writing and ensure that your essay is polished and ready for submission.

Tips for Successful Writing: Practice and Feedback

Writing is a skill that improves with practice. The more you write, the better you will become. Set aside time each day to practice writing essays, paragraph by paragraph. This consistent practice will help you develop your writing skills and grow more confident in expressing your ideas.

Seek feedback from your teachers, peers, or mentors. Constructive criticism can help you identify areas for improvement and provide valuable insights into your writing. Take their suggestions into consideration and use them to refine your writing style and structure.

• Set writing goals for yourself and track your progress. Whether it’s completing a certain number of essays in a week or improving your introductions, having specific goals will keep you motivated and focused on your writing development.
• Read widely to expand your vocabulary and expose yourself to different writing styles. The more you read, the more you will learn about effective writing techniques and ways to engage your readers.
• Revise and edit your essays carefully. Pay attention to sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. A well-polished essay will demonstrate your attention to detail and dedication to producing high-quality work.

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Hvordan skrive et essay

19 mai 2022

9 minutter lesemateriale

• 01. Hva er et essay?
• 02. Hvordan ser et essay ut?
• 03. Hvordan skrive et godt essay
• 04. Hvordan planlegge et essay
• 05. Eksempel på oppsett av et essay
• 06. Flere tips til essayskriving

Å skrive et essay er noe man vil møte mange ganger i løpet av skolegangen. Noen elever synes det er utfordrende å planlegge og skrive essay . Selv mindre oppgaver kan for mange virke overveldende å begynne på.

Det er derfor en god idé å bli vant til å skrive essay før du skal skrive større og viktige oppgaver, som for eksempel en bacheloroppgave eller en eksamen. Selv om en bacheloroppgave ofte ligger på 6,000-10,000 ord , er det ingen tvil om at den har mange fellestrekk med essay.

Så hva er egentlig et essay og hvordan kan man skrive det? I denne guiden ser vi nærmere på nettopp denne skriveformen og forklarer alt du trenger å vite for å bli mer selvsikker på det å skrive essay .

Hvis du synes det er spennende å lære om språk, er det mange andre temaer du bør sjekke ut. Hva med å lese om hvordan teknologien har påvirket språket vårt?

Hva er et essay?

Et essay er en kort, litterær tekst som gir forfatteren mulighet til å utforske, analysere eller reflektere over et spesifikt emne. Dette gir en personlig tilnærming til temaet, og kan inneholde argumenter basert på forfatterens synspunkter og erfaringer.

Sjangeren kjennetegnes gjerne som en vandring innen et emne hvor teksten ofte ikke kommer fram til noen klar konklusjon eller svar. Poenget er heller å stille spørsmål og drøfte rundt et emne, uten at det finnes definitive svar spørsmålene. Teksten kan også være mer personlig og subjektiv, noe som skiller sjangeren fra mange andre.

Kjennetegn på essay

• En klar idé om et emne
• Faktabasert og kunnskapsorientert
• En tydelig rød tråd gjennom teksten
• Spørsmål og drøftinger rundt et emne
• Subjektive meninger eller tanker, og kan skrives fra førsteperson (jeg)
• Virkemidler som humor og ironi brukes ofte
• Ingen klar konklusjon eller mål om å svare på et spesifikt spørsmål. Leseren skal selv kunne trekke sine egne konklusjoner, eller gjøre sine egne meninger ut ifra hva som drøftes

Hvordan ser et essay ut?

Selv om et essay kan virke annerledes enn andre artikler og oppgaver, er det fortsatt ett emne i bunn som skal skinne gjennom. Det er viktig å ha en klar rød tråd og guide leseren gjennom drøftingene sine.  Derfor er det viktig med en god struktur på oppgaven.

Selv om det ikke gis noen klar konklusjon eller svar, skal teksten fortsatt ha en naturlig avslutning. Det er derfor mulig å bruke en sirkelkomposisjon også i denne sjangeren. Det hele starter med å introdusere et tema og noen tanker rundt dette, før ulike spørsmål og eksempler presenteres, og det til slutt oppsummeres og legger opp til videre drøfting.

Likevel kan sjangeren tenkes på som mer muntlig, som en samtale hvor man diskuterer et tema fram til man er fornøyd med diskusjonen. Derfor kan det være lurt å finne en privatlærer som holder norskkurs i Oslo , som kan fungere som en sparringspartner.

Hvordan skrive et godt essay

Nå som vi har forklart litt om hva essay er, er det på tide å se nærmere på hvordan du kan skrive et essay selv. Det viktigste for elever å vite når de skal begynne å skrive essay er at det, dessverre, nesten er umulig å planlegge det perfekte essayet. Det finnes nemlig ingen fasit for denne sjangeren.

Selv om hvert essay kan settes opp på lik måte, finnes det ikke et perfekt antall avsnitt eller poeng å ha som mål. Det er heller ingen liste med krav for alle typer essay. Essay er en sjanger hvor ideer kan flyte fritt, og skal reflektere personligheten og meningene til skribenten.

Om du spør en norsklærer om det mest perfekte essayet de noensinne har lest, kommer du ikke til å få ett svar. Det hadde vært umulig for dem å svare, for hver elev har unike erfaringer å skrive om, noe som gjør at teksten deres skiller seg fra andres. Mange synes det er gøy å få prøve seg på essaysjangeren i norsktimene på skolen, da man får være kreativ! Hvis du synes det er vanskelig, kan du få gode råd og tips med hjelp av norskkurs på nett .

Våre beste tips!

Å skrive essay kan være en krevende oppgave, men frykt ikke! Rådene under kan hjelpe deg å unngå noen av de vanligste feilene.

• Forstå og svar på spørsmålet som stilles. Understrek nøkkelord og viktige punkter. Skal du diskutere, sammenligne, definere eller evaluere?
• Gjør research. Ta detaljerte notater fra kildene dine (bøker, artikler, filmer). Pass på å skrive detaljer om hvor sitatene og ideene stammer fra, slik at du kan referere riktig, og sørg for å finne kilder som anses som gode av lærestedet ditt.
• Planlegg strukturen. Begynn med å få ned ideene i et tankekart eller en liste, og organiser dem. Finn ut hva du ønsker i introduksjonen, hovedpoengene for hvert avsnitt og hvordan du skal knytte alt sammen. Det er viktig at du har en tenkt struktur klar før du setter i gang.
• Bruk en aktiv stemme når du kan. Den aktive stemmen er når setningens subjekt også er den som utfører handlingen. For eksempel: «Hitlers hær invaderte Polen» framfor «Polen var invadert av Hitlers hær». Den første setningen er mer direkte, mens den passive stemmen kan høres litt vag ut.
• Unngå generaliseringer. Dette inkluderer setninger som «Mange tror at [x mening]». Ikke bruk dem da det ikke gir noen klar informasjon. Vær heller så spesifikk som mulig. Dette vil også gi teksten mer troverdighet for leserne dine.
• Vær forsiktig med å presentere andres ideer og meninger som dine egne.  Dette er fort gjort, men teller fortsatt som plagiat. Om du skriver om en mening du har lest om et sted, skriv heller: «[Dr X] skrev om dette i hennes artikkel om [Y], så det er mulig at [Z]».

Viktigst av alt er å huske at essayet skal være din sjanse til å skrive hva du mener om et tema. Om du følger rådene over, og tar med litt personlighet i essayet, kommer du nok til å ende opp med et godt resultat.

Å ha god grammatikk og staving gjennom teksten er selvfølgelig også veldig viktig. Det finnes heldigvis mange gode ressurser som kan hjelpe deg med å rette opp i skrivefeil i teksten din.

Hvordan planlegge et essay

Selv om noen elever er naturtalenter og kan skrive et essay uten å planlegge noe særlig, trenger de fleste elevene en plan eller kladd til å jobbe med. Enten du bruker et tankekart , flytskjema eller du bare skriver ned nøkkelpunkter i planleggingsfasen, bør du prøve å visualisere avsnittene på siden og hvordan alt blir satt sammen .

Det er på dette stadiet, når du leker rundt med ideer og teorier, at du kan bestemme rekkefølgen poengene skal sorteres inn i . Gode essay kobler ofte sammen avsnittene på en naturlig måte, så ha dette i bakhodet når du sorterer poengene dine og planlegger hva teksten skal gå gjennom.

Det er mens du planlegger essayet at du gjør mesteparten av researchen rundt hva du skal skrive om. Du trenger kanskje å lese deler eller kapitler av lærebøkene dine på nytt, se over notater fra norsktimene, se på ressurser fra sider som NDLA, eller lete på nettet etter kritikk og tips du kan ta med når du skal skrive essay selv. Husk at essayet skal være engasjerende og interessant å lese, som disse eksemplene  fra ndla.

Husk at selv om essayet kan være subjektivt og personlig, skal det bygge på fakta og kunnskap. Gjør derfor nøye research; du kan spare mye tid på å finne kilder før du begynner å skrive. Om du planlegger hva du skal skrive på forhånd, så har du et godt utgangspunkt for essayet. Alt du trenger å gjøre da, er å utdype punktene med tankene dine.

Eksempel på oppsett av et essay

Om du prøver å skrive et essay i rekkefølgen du leser det, kommer du til å slite.  Selv om du kan planlegge hva du skal researche og inkludere, bør du fortsatt ha litt frie tøyler under selve skriveprosessen. Hvis ikke, kan essayet ende opp med å virke monotont og følelsesløst , noe som ikke passer sjangeren.

Her ser vi nærmere på hvordan du kan sette opp essayet ditt etter hvert som du kommer i skrivefasen. Hvis du trenger mer hjelp med å sette opp et essay, kan du finne lærere som tilbyr norskkurs hos Superprof.

Du bør begynne skrivingen med hoveddelen, som betyr å jobbe igjennom punktene i essayplanen og legge til detaljer, sitater og andre kilder som støtter dine punkter. Om du får noen nye ideer under denne delen, følg instinktet ditt og se hvor analysen tar deg.

Så lenge du ikke blir så distrahert at du kommer bort fra selve temaet av oppgaven, kan du fortsatt følge planen, selv med noen nye punkter. Du vet aldri om en av disse spontane endringene gjør at essayet ditt går fra godt til bedre!

Det har ingenting å si hvor lang tid det tar for deg å skrive essayet . Skriver du raskt, så klarer du kanskje å skrive 1500 ord på bare ett par timer. Det er også mulig å for eksempel skrive to-tre timer hver kveld i en uke, om det er en bedre løsning for deg. Her er det ingen fasit, så gjør hva som føles best for deg. Bare fordi andre bruker lenger eller kortere tid på essayene sine, betyr ikke dette at ditt arbeid er bedre eller dårligere.

Mange elever ønsker å bli så gode som mulig til å skrive tekster, slik at de kan fullføre norskfaget med god karakter. Les blant annet om hvordan daglige skriveøvelser kan forbedre dine språkferdigheter.

Hvordan skrive introduksjonen

Et godt skrivetips for essay er å skrive introduksjonen og konklusjonen til slutt, selv om det kanskje virker unaturlig. Introduksjonen til et essay forteller leseren hva du skal se på og gir dem en følelse av hvordan essayet blir.

Introduksjonen bør være nokså vag siden du ikke har forklart noen av punktene dine enda, og du vil jo ikke avsløre hva konklusjonen blir. Det viktigste er at introduksjonen leder til konklusjonen.

Hvordan avslutte et essay

Konklusjonen skal oppsummere hovedpoengene i hoveddelen, støttet av kilder du tidligere har nevnt. Det konkluderende avsnittet kan svare på spørsmålene som stilles i begynnelsen av essayet, men husk at du ikke nødvendigvis trenger å gi noen klare svar. Det er her du må være smart og tydelig med kildene du har brukt, og hvordan det støtter diskusjonen din på ulike måter.

Husk at introduksjonen og avslutningen er veldig tett knyttet og du bør derfor kunne lese dem sammen og se tydelig hvordan den ene svarer på spørsmålene i den andre. En tydelig fortelling med fornuft og forklaring er nøkkelen, som i en sirkelkomposisjon! Om konklusjonen ikke passer sammen med introduksjonen, bør du skrive om slik at du får en naturlig overgang fra begynnelse til slutt.

Hvis du kunne tenke deg litt ekstra hjelp med essaysjangeren, finnes det mange dyktige lærere. For hjelp fra privatlærer i nærheten av deg, kan du enkelt gå inn på Superprof.no og se oversikt over norskkurs i Trondheim , eller andre byer.

Flere tips til essayskriving

Lærere og sensorer er enig om at et godt essay består av flere ting. Noen ting de ser etter er blant annet en god innledende påstand, en interessant tolkning av temaet, en konklusjon som oppsummerer poengene tidligere nevnt i teksten og god grammatikk, vokabular og tegnsetting.

Ikke fullfør essayet ditt og legg det til side. Selv om du er glad for å endelig være ferdig, kan noen siste små endringer gjøre mye med teksten. Dette betyr å gå over og korrekturlese teksten flere ganger; først for å se etter skrivefeil du bør rette opp og deretter en siste gang for å sjekke flyten or rød tråd. Du kan også be en venn eller familiemedlem om å lese gjennom og gi deg konstruktiv kritikk.

Du bør også være klar over tone og perspektiv i essayet. Om du først bruker førstepersonsperspektiv, eller «jeg-form», bør du være konsekvent og bruke det ut hele teksten . Om essayet ditt blir markert som et originalt verk eller det er en tekst for skolen eller universitetet, bør du bruke sitater, kilder og referanser for å unngå plagiat.

Det kan være lurt å ha en synonymordbok, og en vanlig ordbok, tilgjengelig når du skriver essayet. Da kan du lettere bruke mer imponerende språk. Om du har et begrenset vokabular, kan du bruke en synonymordbok for å finne nye ord som passer din tone og skrivestil.

Føler du deg ikke helt ferdig med å lære om hvordan du kan skrive bedre tekster? Her kan du finne flere artikler om hvordan du kan forbedre skriveferdighetene . Lykke til med essayet!

Likte du denne artikkelen? Vurder den!

Hilde har en bachelor i oversetting og interkulturell kommunikasjon, og er veldig interessert i språk og kultur.

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Å skrive essay i norskfaget

I 500 år har essayet vore ein sjanger som forfattarane har brukt for å reflektere over eit tema. Målet er ikkje å kome fram til eit svar eller ein fasit, men å utforske temaet på fleire ulike måtar.

I denne ressursen skal elevane lære å skrive essay som utforskar og reflekterer over innhaldet i tekstar. Dette er eit kompetansemål i norsk vg3 . Det er også ein sjanger eleven kan møte på norskeksamen.

Å skrive essay gir eleven mange moglegheiter. Her kan ein vere kreativ, og ein treng ikkje vere redd for å kome med sine eigne meiningar. Eleven kan leike med språket og prøve å setje ord på tankane sine. Sjangeren gir rom for å stille spørsmål, reflektere og kommentere. Målet med essayet er å få lesaren til å tenke.

Ordet essay  kjem frå fransk, og betyr «forsøk». 

Essayet er ein skriftleg sjanger, men har ofte eit munnleg preg. Du finn det i tidsskrift, aviser, blad og bøker. I norskfaget vil du òg få i oppgåve å skrive essay som sjanger.

Når ein skriv essay, skal ein

• tenke at teksten skal lesast av eit publikum, og at lesaren skal bli litt klokare av å lese essayet.
• utforske og reflektere over innhaldet i tekstar.
• vere subjektiv og bruke ei tydeleg eg-stemme.
• formidle eigne refleksjonar og synspunkt om eit emne.
• ha eit bevisst, gjennomarbeidd og kreativt språk. Ver leiken!

Slik skriv du essay

I denne ressursen viser vi eit døme der oppgåva er å skrive eit essay om ære, og som utforskar utvalde tekstar om temaet.

Oppgåva er:

Du skal skrive eit essay om ære der du utforskar utvalde tekstar om temaet.

Kommentar:  Det skal kome tydeleg fram av svaret ditt at du har latt deg inspirere, og at du har brukt enkelt(e) tekstar i din refleksjon. Du må bruke typiske kjenneteikn for sjangeren, og vise sjølvstende og refleksjon. Godt språk og hensiktsmessig struktur er viktig.

I modellteksten som du ser nedanfor, har eleven brukt desse tekstane:

Sagaen om Gunnlaug Ormstunge

Filmen Hva vil folk si frå 2017.

Relevante lenker

• Last ned modellteksten som word-fil.

Essayet må ha ein raud tråd. Tankane kan vandre, men det må vere ein klar samanheng, og dei skal vere i samsvar med oppgåva. Tips til elevane til denne oppgåva: Bruk ordet «ære» og synonym, og bruk ord som er lik desse så ofte som mogleg gjennom essayet ditt.

Førskrivingsfasen

Uansett kva for skriveoppgåve elevane skal i gang med, om det er ein fagartikkel, eit essay eller eit lesarinnlegg, må dei starte med å bygge kunnskap. «Kva kan du frå før? Kva må du lese deg opp på?» Når elevane skal skrive essay, må dei også bruke tekstar andre har skrive om same tema.

Å lage eit tankekart kan vere ei hjelp til å gi eleven oversikt over temaet. Tankekartet kan bli eit godt utgangspunkt for å lage ein plan eller disposisjon for teksten.

Bruk fleire kjelder

Viser det seg at elevane kan lite om det dei skal skrive om, er det lurt å la dei lære meir om emnet. Bruk læreboka og andre kjelder, til dømes Store norske leksikon eller Wikipedia, og la dei bruke litt tid på å finne ut kva temaet handlar om. Dei kan også få i oppgåve å finne tekstar til essayet sjølv, og da må dei kunne finne fram til gode kjelder på eiga hand.

Tenkeskriving

Neste steg i førskrivingsfasen kan vere tenkeskriving . Det vil seie at elevane skriv ein tekst om emnet som berre er for seg sjølv. Her kan dei prøve ut tankar og idear, og dei kan vere kreative. Denne teksten er det berre dei sjølv som skal sjå, og den blir ikkje vurdert av nokon andre.

Døme på tenkeskriving om ære

Eg veit lite om ære, men når eg tenkjer etter er det eit spennande omgrep. Eg har høyrt om æreskultur. Eg må google kva ære og æreskultur er. Eg les på Wikipedia at ære har betydd noko negativt gjennom historie. Æresdrap. På wikipedia skriv dei også om at ære og skam er to omgrep som heng saman. Det har eg ikkje tenkt på. Det vil eg bruke i essayet mitt. Her kan eg bruke filmen vi såg, Hva vil folk si. Den handler om æreskultur, korleis tap av ære betyr skam for familien. Dette handla eigentleg Gunnlaug Ormstunge om. Ættesagaene handlar ofte om ære og familie. Eg les i norskboka at familiens ære, eller gode namn og rykte var viktig i vikingtida. Akkurat som i Hva vil folk si i dag! Tap av ære betyr skam, og det kan igjen føre til hemn. Interessant. Dette må eg skrive meir om.

Kor er ære viktig i dag? Eller er det viktig? På skolen? Heime? På handballbanen? På snap eller insta? Ja, eg legg ikkje ut bilde av meg sjølv ukritisk på Insta. Handlar det om ære?

For å sikre eit godt, fagleg innhald i essayet, kan elevane også lage ein ordbank . Det er ei samling viktige ord og omgrep innanfor det emnet elevane skriv om, som dei meiner bør vere med. Kanskje kan elevane lage ordbanken saman med læringspartnaren sin?

Døme på ordbank

Skriveramme.

Ein annan måte å strukturere tankane på er å lage ein disposisjon for essayet. Da bruker elevane ei skriveramme . Det er mange måtar å strukturere teksten på. Denne skriveramma viser korleis ein  kan strukturere dette essayet med å fokusere på personlege opplevingar, fakta og eigne refleksjonar.

Undervegsfasen – vi lagar ein struktur

Etter at elevane har planlagt teksten i ein førskrivingsfase, må dei leggje mykje innsats i å vidareutvikle essayet sitt. No skal dei arbeide med å lage ei god innleiing og avslutning og gode overgangar.

Ein kan strukturera etter det vi kallar sirkelkomposisjon i essayet. Det vil seie at dei startar med noko som dei kjem tilbake til heilt til slutt.

Forslag til sirkelkomposisjon:

• Personlege opplevingar.
• Eigne refleksjonar som utforskar tekstar.

Innleiinga i essayet skal vekke interesse hos lesaren. Det kan vere lurt å starte med noko personleg. Da set ein lesaren i rett stemning frå første setning utan å opne med tørre faktasetningar. Elevane kan vera kreative. Bruk ordet «eg» for å understreke at noko er viktig, og at dette er ein personlege utforsking av temaet.

Her er to døme:

Døme 1 startar personleg. Denne opninga av essayet viser at dette er eit tema som betyr noko for den som skriv. Det er eit godt grep å avslutte innleinga med eit spørsmål.

– Eg elskar å vere på Instagram. Det å sitje med musikk på øyret medan eg blar meg nedover sida. Ser på kva venene mine driv med. Kva for klede dei har på i dag eller kva for sminke dei vel å bruke. Plutseleg dukkar det opp forslag til sider som ser spennande ut. Nye reels og artige folk. Av og til legg eg ut ting sjølv også. Men ikkje kva som helst.

Døme 2 startar med ein artig omgang med fakta. Det er eit kreativt grep som får lesaren inn i handlinga med ein gong. Skrivaren presenterer ei myte om kva «ære» er, ved å bruke ei kreativ samanlikning med gamal mat i kjøleskapet. Å bruke personlege pronomen som «eg» og «meg» gjer teksten meir personleg. Denne innleiinga viser at det er lov å bruke utropsteikn når du skriv essay!

– Ære? Kva betyr det? Eigentleg. Det er eit ord eg aldri blir riktig klok på. Ingen gir meg det same svaret. I følje Wikipedia er ære eit gamalt norrønt omgrep for vørdnad, heider, godt namn og rykte, hyllest, ros eller liknande. Den forklaringa gjer meg ikkje mykje klokare. For meg høyrest det rett og slett ut som eit omgrep som har gått ut på dato! Noko som har lege litt for lenge bakarst i kjøleskapet og som eg aldri har hatt bruk for meir enn den eine gongen eg skulle prøve ut mormors gamle oppskrift på ostekake med gamalmjølk i.

Når elevane arbeider med hovuddelen i essayet, kan dei få god hjelp av det dei har skrive i tankekartet, ordbanken, skriveramma og tenkeskrivingsteksten.

Om du vel å bruke ein sirkelkomposisjon når du skriv essay, kan det vere lurt å dele inn hovuddelen i personlege opplevingar, fakta og eigne refleksjonar som utforskar tekstar. Da får du vist både kunnskap og refleksjon, og det blir ein personleg tekst. Hugs den raude tråden gjennom essayet ditt.

– Det er trass alt ein gammal tradisjon i norsk kultur og. Gunnlaug, Ravn og alle andre vikingar i alle sagaer drap for ære . Folk gjer det framleis. For å male overflata i gull. Men det verkar som dei alle har eit slags felles ideal .

Til slutt: Ver personleg. Bruk ord som «eg», «vi» og «du» og «oss». Slike ord er med og understrekar for lesaren at dette er viktig for deg. Teksten blir meir personleg, og du skapar ein relasjon mellom deg og lesaren.

– Tenk om ære kontrollerer oss ? Liva våre? Ubevisst? Altså eg hadde ikkje tatt dei vala eg har tatt om eg ikkje brydde meg om kva dei rundt meg synest. Om kva familien synest. Kva læraren synest. Kva andre tenkjer. Eg har lært meg kva for ting som gjer at eg får betre eller dårlegare rykte blant ulike folk, i ulike situasjonar.

Ein fin måte å avslutte eit essay på er å gå tilbake til innleiinga. Starta elevane essayet med ei personleg oppleving, kan dei stoppe ved denne personlege opplevinga i avslutninga. Det er det som er ein sirkelkomposisjon.

Hugs at eit godt essay har synspunkt og refleksjonar, men målet er ikkje å kome fram til ein tydeleg konklusjon. Sjølve vandringa gjennom temaet er like viktig som målet. «Kva vil det seie å vere oppteken av ære i dag? Betyr ære noko for meg? Er det skilnad på kva ære betyr i dag enn kva det gjorde i vikingtida?»

I modellteksten ser vi korleis sirkelkomposisjon kan nyttast.

Å omarbeide teksten din – revisjonsfasen

Ein tekst er ikkje ferdig når elevane har levert eit førsteutkast. Dei må arbeide med ein tekst fleire gonger for at han skal bli skikkeleg god. Det er også viktig at dei er kritiske lesarar av eigne tekster.

Desse punkta kan elevane bruke når dei skal skrive ferdig essayet sitt:

• Korleis har du fått fram ein raud tråd gjennom essayet?
• Korleis heng avsnitta saman?
• Korleis bruker du sirkelkomposisjonen?
• Kva for personlege erfaringar bruker du?
• Har du vist til tekstane du vart beden om å bruke?
• Korleis utforskar du tekstane du bruker?
• Kva for andre faktadøme bruker du?
• Korleis er dine eigne refleksjonar som utforskar tekstar?

Etterarbeid

Elevane kan ta vare på kommentarar frå seg sjølv og frå læraren. Kanskje kan dei lage seg ei hugseliste til neste gong?

• Kva lykkast du med?
• Kva for fase bør du arbeide meir med? Førskriving, undervegsfasen, revisjon?
• Er det spesielle kommentarar du må merke deg?

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The Ultimate Guide to the 5-Paragraph Essay

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• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

A five-paragraph essay is a prose composition that follows a prescribed format of an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph, and is typically taught during primary English education and applied on standardized testing throughout schooling.

Learning to write a high-quality five-paragraph essay is an essential skill for students in early English classes as it allows them to express certain ideas, claims, or concepts in an organized manner, complete with evidence that supports each of these notions. Later, though, students may decide to stray from the standard five-paragraph format and venture into writing an  exploratory essay  instead.

Still, teaching students to organize essays into the five-paragraph format is an easy way to introduce them to writing literary criticism, which will be tested time and again throughout their primary, secondary, and further education.

Writing a Good Introduction

The introduction is the first paragraph in your essay, and it should accomplish a few specific goals: capture the reader's interest, introduce the topic, and make a claim or express an opinion in a thesis statement.

It's a good idea to start your essay with a hook (fascinating statement) to pique the reader's interest, though this can also be accomplished by using descriptive words, an anecdote, an intriguing question, or an interesting fact. Students can practice with creative writing prompts to get some ideas for interesting ways to start an essay.

The next few sentences should explain your first statement, and prepare the reader for your thesis statement, which is typically the last sentence in the introduction. Your  thesis sentence  should provide your specific assertion and convey a clear point of view, which is typically divided into three distinct arguments that support this assertation, which will each serve as central themes for the body paragraphs.

Writing Body Paragraphs

The body of the essay will include three body paragraphs in a five-paragraph essay format, each limited to one main idea that supports your thesis.

To correctly write each of these three body paragraphs, you should state your supporting idea, your topic sentence, then back it up with two or three sentences of evidence. Use examples that validate the claim before concluding the paragraph and using transition words to lead to the paragraph that follows — meaning that all of your body paragraphs should follow the pattern of "statement, supporting ideas, transition statement."

Words to use as you transition from one paragraph to another include: moreover, in fact, on the whole, furthermore, as a result, simply put, for this reason, similarly, likewise, it follows that, naturally, by comparison, surely, and yet.

Writing a Conclusion

The final paragraph will summarize your main points and re-assert your main claim (from your thesis sentence). It should point out your main points, but should not repeat specific examples, and should, as always, leave a lasting impression on the reader.

The first sentence of the conclusion, therefore, should be used to restate the supporting claims argued in the body paragraphs as they relate to the thesis statement, then the next few sentences should be used to explain how the essay's main points can lead outward, perhaps to further thought on the topic. Ending the conclusion with a question, anecdote, or final pondering is a great way to leave a lasting impact.

Once you complete the first draft of your essay, it's a good idea to re-visit the thesis statement in your first paragraph. Read your essay to see if it flows well, and you might find that the supporting paragraphs are strong, but they don't address the exact focus of your thesis. Simply re-write your thesis sentence to fit your body and summary more exactly, and adjust the conclusion to wrap it all up nicely.

Practice Writing a Five-Paragraph Essay

Students can use the following steps to write a standard essay on any given topic. First, choose a topic, or ask your students to choose their topic, then allow them to form a basic five-paragraph by following these steps:

• Decide on your  basic thesis , your idea of a topic to discuss.
• Decide on three pieces of supporting evidence you will use to prove your thesis.
• Write an introductory paragraph, including your thesis and evidence (in order of strength).
• Write your first body paragraph, starting with restating your thesis and focusing on your first piece of supporting evidence.
• End your first paragraph with a transitional sentence that leads to the next body paragraph.
• Write paragraph two of the body focussing on your second piece of evidence. Once again make the connection between your thesis and this piece of evidence.
• End your second paragraph with a transitional sentence that leads to paragraph number three.
• Repeat step 6 using your third piece of evidence.
• Begin your concluding paragraph by restating your thesis. Include the three points you've used to prove your thesis.
• End with a punch, a question, an anecdote, or an entertaining thought that will stay with the reader.

Once a student can master these 10 simple steps, writing a basic five-paragraph essay will be a piece of cake, so long as the student does so correctly and includes enough supporting information in each paragraph that all relate to the same centralized main idea, the thesis of the essay.

Limitations of the Five-Paragraph Essay

The five-paragraph essay is merely a starting point for students hoping to express their ideas in academic writing; there are some other forms and styles of writing that students should use to express their vocabulary in the written form.

According to Tory Young's "Studying English Literature: A Practical Guide":

"Although school students in the U.S. are examined on their ability to write a  five-paragraph essay , its  raison d'être  is purportedly to give practice in basic writing skills that will lead to future success in more varied forms. Detractors feel, however, that writing to rule in this way is more likely to discourage imaginative writing and thinking than enable it. . . . The five-paragraph essay is less aware of its  audience  and sets out only to present information, an account or a kind of story rather than explicitly to persuade the reader."

Students should instead be asked to write other forms, such as journal entries, blog posts, reviews of goods or services, multi-paragraph research papers, and freeform expository writing around a central theme. Although five-paragraph essays are the golden rule when writing for standardized tests, experimentation with expression should be encouraged throughout primary schooling to bolster students' abilities to utilize the English language fully.

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• An Introduction to Academic Writing
• The Introductory Paragraph: Start Your Paper Off Right

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UMGC Effective Writing Center Secrets of the Five-Paragraph Essay

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This form of writing goes by different names. Maybe you've heard some of them before: "The Basic Essay," "The Academic Response Essay," "The 1-3-1 Essay." Regardless of what you've heard, the name you should remember is "The Easy Essay."

Once you are shown how this works--and it only takes a few minutes--you will have in your hands the secret to writing well on almost any academic assignment. Here is how it goes.

Secret #1—The Magic of Three

Three has always been a magic number for humans, from fairy tales like "The Three Little Pigs" to sayings like “third time’s a charm.” Three seems to be an ideal number for us--including the academic essay. So whenever you are given a topic to write about, a good place to begin is with a list of three. Here are some examples (three of them, of course):

Topic : What are the essential characteristics of a good parent? Think in threes and you might come up with:

• unconditional love 

Certainly, there are more characteristics of good parents you could name, but for our essay, we will work in threes.

Here's a topic that deals with a controversial issue:

Topic : Should women in the military be given frontline combat duties?

• The first reason that women should be assigned to combat is equality. 
• The second reason is their great teamwork. 
• The third reason is their courage.

As you see, regardless of the topic, we can list three points about it. And if you wonder about the repetition of words and structure when stating the three points, in this case, repetition is a good thing. Words that seem redundant when close together in an outline will be separated by the actual paragraphs of your essay. So in the essay instead of seeming redundant they will be welcome as signals to the reader of your essay’s main parts.

Finally, when the topic is an academic one, your first goal is the same: create a list of three.

Topic: Why do so many students fail to complete their college degree?

• First, students often...
• Second, many students cannot...
• Finally, students find that...

Regardless of the reasons you might come up with to finish these sentences, the formula is still the same.

Secret #2: The Thesis Formula

Now with your list of three, you can write the sentence that every essay must have—the thesis, sometimes called the "controlling idea," "overall point," or "position statement." In other words, it is the main idea of the essay that you will try to support, illustrate, or corroborate.

Here’s a simple formula for a thesis: The topic + your position on the topic = your thesis.

Let’s apply this formula to one of our examples:

Topic: Essential characteristics of a good parent Your Position: patience, respect, love Thesis: The essential characteristics of a good parent are patience, respect, and love.

As you see, all we did was combine the topic with our position/opinion on it into a single sentence to produce the thesis: The essential characteristics of a good parent are patience, respect, and love.

In this case, we chose to list three main points as part of our thesis. Sometimes that’s a good strategy. However, you can summarize them if you wish, as in this example:

Topic: Women in combat duty in the military Your Position: They deserve it Thesis: Women deserve to be assigned combat duty in the military.

This type of thesis is shorter and easier to write because it provides the overall position or opinion without forcing you to list the support for it in the thesis, which can get awkward and take away from your strong position statement. The three reasons women deserve to be assigned combat duties--equality, teamwork, courage--will be the subjects of your three body paragraphs and do not need to be mentioned until the body paragraph in which they appear.

Secret #3: The 1-3-1 Outline

With your thesis and list of three main points, you can quickly draw a basic outline of the paragraphs of your essay. You’ll then see why this is often called the 1-3-1 essay.

• Supporting Evidence for Claim 1    
• Supporting Evidence for Claim 2
• Supporting Evidence for Claim 3

The five-paragraph essay consists of one introduction paragraph (with the thesis at its end), three body paragraphs (each beginning with one of three main points) and one last paragraph—the conclusion. 1-3-1.

Once you have this outline, you have the basic template for most academic writing. Most of all, you have an organized way to approach virtually any topic you are assigned.

Our helpful admissions advisors can help you choose an academic program to fit your career goals, estimate your transfer credits, and develop a plan for your education costs that fits your budget. If you’re a current UMGC student, please visit the Help Center .

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How to Write a Five Paragraph Essay

Last Updated: April 4, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 525,249 times.

Five paragraph essays are a common assignment throughout your school career, especially in high school and college. Since any subject can include a five paragraph essay, you’ll want to be good at writing them. Luckily, five-paragraph essays are really easy to write if you know the expected format and give yourself the time you need to write it. To write your five paragraph essay, draft your introduction, develop three body paragraphs, write your conclusion, and revise and edit your essay.

Drafting Your Introduction

• For example, you could phrase your hook like this: Nature’s life cycle is often used as a metaphor to convey ideas about the passage of life.
• If you are writing a persuasive essay, don’t include your stance in your hook.
• Don’t say “In this essay” or “I am going to show.” Instead, use the “show, don’t tell” technique using descriptive language.
• It’s often easiest to come up with your hook after you write the rest of your essay. If you’re struggling to come up with one, use a basic placeholder and then create a better hook when you revise your essay.

• Don’t reveal your main points yet.
• For example, you could say something like this: While spring compares with birth, summer can symbolize maturity, with fall and winter showing a descent toward death.

• This sentence depends on what type of paper you’re writing. If it’s an argumentative paper, introduce both sides of the argument. In an informative paper, mention the central idea and focus.
• As an example, you could narrow your topic like this: Writers often use nature metaphors in their work to show themes about life, such as the blossoming of youth.

• For example, your thesis could read like this: In the poem “Raspberries,” the author shows youth through the ripening berries, summer blossoming, and blushing color of the fruit.
• Each of the three examples provided in the thesis will become the topic of a body paragraph. For the example thesis, you would have body paragraphs about ripening berries, summer blossoming, and the blushing color of the fruit.

Developing Three Body Paragraphs

• You should include three body paragraphs, one for each supporting point.

• Your topic sentence is like a mini-thesis for just that paragraph.
• Use a quote related to your thesis and analyze it in the body paragraph. If you use a topic sentence, put the quote next.
• For example, your topic sentence could look like this: Ripening berries show youth in the poem “Raspberries” by reaching maturity and becoming ready for picking.

• Each paragraph should contain two to three examples or pieces of evidence.
• If you use research, cite your sources in the appropriate format that your instructor specifies.

• Include two to three sentences of commentary for each example or piece of evidence.
• Depending on the type of evidence or examples, it’s often best to alternate your evidence and commentary throughout the paragraph. For example, provide one example, then provide the commentary.

• For example, you could wrap up your paragraph like this: As the girl plucks the ripe raspberries from the bush and eats them, her actions represent her own youth and readiness to be “plucked” by someone.

Drafting Your Conclusion

• For example, you could restate your thesis like this: The poem “Raspberries” provides an allegorical representation of youth through a metaphor of ripening berries, summer blossoming, and blushing color of the fruit.
• If you're a beginning writer, it's okay to start your conclusion with "In conclusion." However, if you're an advanced writer, avoid starting your conclusion with statements like “In conclusion,” “To conclude,” or “In the end.”

• Use an authoritative tone as you restate your arguments so that your reader walks away knowing that you are correct.

• Include a call to action.
• Provide a warning about what could happen if your stance is ignored.
• Create an image in the reader’s mind.
• Include a quote.
• Make a universal statement about life.

Revising and Editing Your Essay

• Always reread your sentence to make sure that the word processor is suggesting the right word. If you’ve misspelled a word that is similar to another word, then it’s possible that your spell check could suggest the wrong spelling, such as “then” instead of “than.”

• Look for errors that your spell checker missed.
• If you can, ask someone else to proofread your paper. They will usually spot errors that you overlooked.

• Combine choppy sentences.
• Breakup long, convoluted sentences into shorter sentences.
• Rewrite fragments and run-on sentences.

• If you have cited sources, make sure that you include a reference page in the style chosen by your instructor.

Expert Q&A

• Never plagiarize an essay, which means copying someone’s work or ideas without giving them credit. Your teacher will deny you credit for the essay, and you may also get a discipline consequence. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/five-paragraph-essay/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/college-writing/
• ↑ https://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/FiveParagraphEssayOutlineJuly08_000.pdf
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789530/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/proofreading_suggestions.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/steps_for_revising.html

About This Article

To write a five paragraph essay, start with an introductory paragraph that includes a hook to capture your audience’s attention, and a thesis that explains the main point you’re trying to make. Then, use the next 3 paragraphs to explain 3 separate points that support your thesis. As you explain each point, use evidence from your research or examples in the text you’re discussing. Finally, conclude your essay with a paragraph summing up the points you’ve made and telling the reader how those points support your thesis. For tips on how to revise your essay to improve the flow and formatting, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to write a perfect 5 Paragraph Essay

  How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay : A Complete Guide

Essay writing can be the bane of many a student’s life.

Gone are the days when many students tried writing in big letters to fill the allotted number of pages with minimal effort quickly.

Now, it’s all constant word count checks and taking a dozen words to say what could be said in three.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be like this. When students have a clear, set structure to follow, essay writing can be a much less painful experience. Indeed, it can even be enjoyable!

In this article, we’ll outline a clear template our students can follow to produce a well-organised essay on practically any topic effectively.

Let’s get started!

THE HAMBURGER ESSAY – THE STUDENT’S FRIEND

The common 5 paragraph essay structure is often referred to as the hamburger essay . And this is a memorable way to communicate the concept to your students.

The hamburger essay structure consists of five paragraphs or layers as follows:

Layer 1 – The Top Bun: The Introduction

The uppermost layer is the introductory paragraph which communicates to the reader the purpose of the essay.

Layers 2,3, & 4 – The Meat Patties: The Body Paragraphs

These are the meat patties of the essay and each paragraph makes an argument in support of the essay’s central contention as expressed in the introduction.

Layer 5 – The Conclusion: The Bottom Bun

The bottommost layer is the conclusion, where the arguments are summed up and the central contention of the essay is restated forcefully one last time. We have a complete guide to writing a conclusion here .

Soon, we’ll take a closer look at each of these parts in turn. But, there is more to an essay than just the writing of it. There are also the prewriting and post writing stages to consider. We will look at all these aspects in this article, but first, let’s examine what our students need to be doing before they even begin to write their essays.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING PARAGRAPH WRITING

This complete PARAGRAPH WRITING UNIT takes students from zero to hero over FIVE STRATEGIC LESSONS to improve PARAGRAPH WRITING SKILLS through PROVEN TEACHING STRATEGIES.

THE PREWRITING STAGE – DEFINING THE THESIS STATEMENT, RESEARCH & PLANNING

The thesis statement.

Every essay needs a clear focus. This focus is usually defined in a thesis statement that presents the topic of the essay in a sentence or two. The thesis statement should also include the writer’s stance on that topic.

As this will help guide the direction of the essay, it is essential that our students define their thesis statement before they begin the writing process.

Sometimes during the process of writing, we find out what we think about a given topic. The writing process can act as a kind of reflection on the merits of the various arguments, before finally revealing to us our own opinion. This is writing as a method of discovery.

Usually, though, it is more efficient for students to decide on their opinions prior to beginning to write.

Defining their thesis statement early on not only helps guide the students writing, but helps ensure their research is focused and efficient at the crucial prewriting stage.

Research & Planning

As students begin their research and gather their evidence to support their thesis statement, they should also be encouraged to pay particular attention to the counterarguments they come across.

A well-written essay does not ignore opposing viewpoints, students should be taught to preempt counterarguments where possible so as to strengthen the power of their own arguments. Good research is essential for this.

Not so long ago, research meant hours in dusty libraries being constantly shushed, but with the advent of the internet, there is now a wealth of knowledge right at our fingertips (and the end of a good Wifi connection).

While this has made research a much more convenient process, students need to be reminded of the importance of seeking out reliable sources to support their opinions. In an era of ‘fake news’, this is more important now than ever.

As students gather the information and supporting evidence for their essay, they’ll need to organize it carefully. Graphic organizers are an effective way of doing this, either on a paper printout or by using a premade template on the computer.

It can also be helpful for students to sort their collected information according to where they intend to use it in the five-paragraph outline or layers mentioned above.

Finally, while good research, organization, and planning are essential for producing a well-written essay, it’s important that students are reminded that essay writing is also a creative act.

Students should maintain an open mind when it comes to the writing process. They should allow their thoughts and opinions the room to develop over the course of writing their essay. They should leave the door open for including new thoughts and ideas as the writing progresses.

The Writing Stage: Introduction, Body Paragraphs, & Conclusion 

The introduction.

A good introduction paragraph serves a number of important functions. It:

• Grabs the reader’s attention and interest, known as the hook
• Orientates the reader to the essays central argument, the thesis statement
• Outlines briefly the arguments that will be explored in support of the thesis statement.

To become an effective writer, it is important that our students learn the importance of grabbing the reader’s attention, as well as keeping it. Opening with a ‘hook’ or a ‘grabber’ is a great way to achieve this.

There are a number of techniques students can use here. Let’s take a look at some of the more common ones.

• The Surprising Fact – this can intrigue the reader to want to find out more, especially if it challenges some of their existing assumptions on a topic.
• The Quotation – a carefully selected quotation can be a great way to secure the reader’s attention and there are many curated quotation collections freely available online to help get students started.
• The Joke – this opening should be used judiciously as for some topics it may not be an appropriate way to open. In the right context however, humor can be a great way to engage the reader from the outset.
• The Anecdote – anecdotes are a great way to personally connect with the essay’s topic. They are a helpful way of climbing down the ladder of abstraction when exploring more theoretical arguments. They assist the reader in relating universal themes to their own lives.

Practice Activity 1:

To encourage students to develop strong opening paragraphs in their essays, it can be helpful to isolate writing opening paragraphs.

In this activity, provide your students with a list of essay topics and challenge them to write four different opening paragraphs for their essay, one each for The Surprising Fact , The Quotation , The Joke , and The Anecdote as listed above.

When students have completed their four paragraphs, they can then share with each other in groups and discuss which worked best and why.

This activity will help students to remember the different types of opening and how they work. It will also give them a feel for which openings work best for different types of essays.

We’ve already discussed what a thesis statement is and what it is intended to achieve, but where does it fit into the overall shape of the introductory paragraph exactly?

While there are no hard and fast rules here, thesis statements work well towards the end of the introductory paragraph – especially as the paragraph’s final sentence.

Readers are often hardwired to look for the thesis statement there. It connects the arguments that follow in the body paragraphs to the preceding sentences and contextualizes the essay for the reader.

THE BODY PARAGRAPHS

Now we get to the ‘meat’ of our essay. Each of the body paragraphs will explore one of the arguments supporting the thesis statement as laid out in the introduction.

While we are focused on the 5 paragraph essay here, longer essays will usually be constructed in exactly the same manner, they’ll just include more body paragraphs to cover the extra level of detail.

Generally, each body paragraph will open by stating the argument, with subsequent sentences supporting that argument by providing evidence along with some further explanation. Finally, a statement or phrase will help transition to the next paragraph.

The PEEL Paragraph Writing Process

The acronym PEEL can be a very useful tool to help students to understand how to organize each of their body paragraphs.

P oint : start the paragraph by expressing the central argument

E vidence : support the central argument of the paragraph by providing evidence or reasons. Evidence may come in many forms including facts and statistics, quotations from a text or other authority, reference to historical events etc.

E xplanation : explain how the evidence provided supports the paragraph’s central argument.

L ink : provide a transition into the next paragraph by linking this argument and the central thesis to the next point to be made.

Practice Activity 2:

Just as students isolated the opening to their introductory paragraph for practice purposes, in this activity they’ll isolate a single argument on a chosen essay topic.

When they have chosen a topic and selected a single argument related to that topic, they can begin to write one body paragraph using the PEEL structure outlined above.

This activity works well when several students write on the same argument. When each has completed their paragraphs, they can then compare the results with each other.

It can be a fascinating experiment that allows the students to see just how diverse different treatments of the same argument using the same PEEL formula can be – there is freedom within the discipline of the structure!

THE CONCLUSION

The purpose of the conclusion is to close the circle of the essay. It is a chance for the writer to restate the thesis statement, summarize the main arguments, and tie up any loose ends as the writer drives home their point one last time.

At this stage of the game, no new arguments should be introduced. However, students should revisit the previous arguments made in the body paragraphs and it is acceptable to offer up a new insight or two on these.

The student should take care here to make sure they leave no doubt in the reader’s mind that the essay question is fully answered. One useful way of doing this is by incorporating words and phrases from the essay question into the conclusion itself.

To help students grasp the underlying structure of a concluding paragraph, the following sequential structure is useful to keep in mind:

• Starts with a closing phrase such as In conclusion , There is no doubt , Finally etc
• Restates the main thesis statement
• Summarizes the main point of each of the body paragraphs
• Leaves the reader with something to think about.

Practice Activity 3:

Again, here we will isolate the concluding paragraph for focused practice.

Students select a topic they know well, decide what they think about that topic, write down a few key arguments, and then begin writing a concluding paragraph to an essay on that topic.

Students should use the template above to structure that material.

You could also include an element of peer assessment here by having students swap their paragraphs with each other, before offering each other feedback.

The Post Writing Stage: Editing & Proofreading YOUR 5 paragraph ESSAY

The final stage of writing a five-paragraph essay is perhaps the least glamorous of an unglamorous process, but no less essential for it – the editing and proofreading.

Often, our students overlook this stage. After completing the process of research, planning, and writing their five-paragraph essay, they let themselves down at this final, crucial stage.

Frequently, students fail to adequately edit and proofread their work not just because of laziness, but because they are unsure of exactly what this process entails.

To avoid this, ensure students understand that editing and proofreading involve reading through and correcting mistakes in the following areas one after the other:

• Text Organisation: title, headings, layout etc
• Sentence Structure: coherence, grammar , sentence variety etc
• Word Choice: suitable word choices, avoid repetition etc
• Spelling and Punctuation: accuracy in both areas.

Practice Activity 4:

Once students have completed their essays, appoint each a partner to work with and each then edits and proofreads the other person’s work.

Sometimes students struggle to gain the necessary distance from their own work to adequately edit and proofread it, this exercise overcomes that issue while giving them an opportunity to gain some valuable editing and proofreading experience that will benefit them in future.

CLOSING THE CIRCLE

So, there you have it – how to write a five-paragraph essay from start to finish. As with anything, the more practice students get, the quicker they will improve.

But, bear in mind too that writing essays is hard work and you don’t want to put students off.

The best way to provide opportunities for students to develop the various skills related to essay writing is to isolate them in the manner apparent in the activities described above.

This way, students can soon sharpen up their skills, without learning to dread the word ‘essay’ itself!

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

Five Paragraph Essay exampleS (Student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of student writing samples of 5 paragraph essays.  Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail.  Please take a moment to both read the 5 paragraph essay in detail but also the teacher and student guides which highlight some of the key elements of this structured model of essay writing here.

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of 5 paragraph essay writing.

We would recommend reading the example either a year above and below, as well as the grade you are currently working with to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.

5 PARAGRAPH ESSAY VIDEO TUTORIALS

Guide on How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay Effortlessly

Defining What Is a 5 Paragraph Essay

Have you ever been assigned a five-paragraph essay and wondered what exactly it means? Don't worry; we all have been there. A five-paragraph essay is a standard academic writing format consisting of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

In the introduction, you present your thesis statement, which is the main idea or argument you will discuss in your essay. The three body paragraphs present a separate supporting argument, while the conclusion summarizes the main points and restates the thesis differently.

While the five-paragraph essay is a tried and true format for many academic assignments, it's important to note that it's not the only way to write an essay. In fact, some educators argue that strict adherence to this format can stifle creativity and limit the development of more complex ideas.

However, mastering the five-paragraph essay is a valuable skill for any student, as it teaches the importance of structure and organization in writing. Also, it enables you to communicate your thoughts clearly and eloquently, which is crucial for effective communication in any area. So the next time you're faced with a five-paragraph essay assignment, embrace the challenge and use it as an opportunity to hone your writing skills.

And if you find it difficult to put your ideas into 5 paragraphs, ask our professional service - 'please write my essay ,' or ' write my paragraph ' and consider it done.

How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay: General Tips

If you are struggling with how to write a 5 paragraph essay, don't worry! It's a common format that many students learn in their academic careers. Here are some tips from our admission essay writing service to help you write a successful five paragraph essay example:

• Start with a strong thesis statement : Among the 5 parts of essay, the thesis statement can be the most important. It presents the major topic you will debate throughout your essay while being explicit and simple.
• Use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph : The major idea you will address in each of the three body paragraphs should be established in a concise subject sentence.
• Use evidence to support your arguments : The evidence you present in your body paragraphs should back up your thesis. This can include facts, statistics, or examples from your research or personal experience.
• Include transitions: Use transitional words and phrases to make the flow of your essay easier. Words like 'although,' 'in addition,' and 'on the other hand' are examples of these.
• Write a strong conclusion: In addition to restating your thesis statement in a new way, your conclusion should highlight the key ideas of your essay. You might also leave the reader with a closing idea or query to reflect on.
• Edit and proofread: When you've completed writing your essay, thoroughly revise and proofread it. Make sure your thoughts are brief and clear and proofread your writing for grammatical and spelling mistakes.

By following these tips, you can write strong and effective five paragraph essays examples that will impress your teacher or professor.

5 Paragraph Essay Format

Let's readdress the five-paragraph essay format and explain it in more detail. So, as already mentioned, it is a widely-used writing structure taught in many schools and universities. A five-paragraph essay comprises an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion, each playing a significant role in creating a well-structured and coherent essay.

The introduction serves as the opening paragraph of the essay and sets the tone for the entire piece. It should captivate the reader's attention, provide relevant background information, and include a clear and concise thesis statement that presents the primary argument of the essay. For example, if the essay topic is about the benefits of exercise, the introduction may look something like this:

'Regular exercise provides numerous health benefits, including increased energy levels, improved mental health, and reduced risk of chronic diseases.'

The body paragraphs are the meat of the essay and should provide evidence and examples to support the thesis statement. Each body paragraph should begin with a subject sentence that states the major idea of the paragraph. Then, the writer should provide evidence to support the topic sentence. This evidence can be in the form of statistics, facts, or examples. For instance, if the essay is discussing the health benefits of exercise, a body paragraph might look like this:

'One of the key benefits of exercise is improved mental health. Regular exercise has been demonstrated in studies to lessen depressive and anxious symptoms and enhance mood.'

The essay's final paragraph, the conclusion, should repeat the thesis statement and summarize the essay's important ideas. A concluding idea or query might be included to give the reader something to ponder. For example, a conclusion for an essay on the benefits of exercise might look like this:

'In conclusion, exercise provides numerous health benefits, from increased energy levels to reduced risk of chronic diseases. We may enhance both our physical and emotional health and enjoy happier, more satisfying lives by including exercise into our daily routines.'

Overall, the 5 paragraph essay format is useful for organizing thoughts and ideas clearly and concisely. By following this format, writers can present their arguments logically and effectively, which is easy for the reader to follow.

Types of 5 Paragraph Essay 

There are several types of five-paragraph essays, each with a slightly different focus or purpose. Here are some of the most common types of five-paragraph essays:

• Narrative essay : A narrative essay tells a story or recounts a personal experience. It typically includes a clear introductory paragraph, body sections that provide details about the story, and a conclusion that wraps up the narrative.
• Descriptive essay: A descriptive essay uses sensory language to describe a person, place, or thing. It often includes a clear thesis statement that identifies the subject of the description and body paragraphs that provide specific details to support the thesis.
• Expository essay: An expository essay offers details or clarifies a subject. It usually starts with a concise introduction that introduces the subject, is followed by body paragraphs that provide evidence and examples to back up the thesis, and ends with a summary of the key points.
• Persuasive essay: A persuasive essay argues for a particular viewpoint or position. It has a thesis statement that is clear, body paragraphs that give evidence and arguments in favor of it, and a conclusion that summarizes the important ideas and restates the thesis.
• Compare and contrast essay: An essay that compares and contrasts two or more subjects and looks at their similarities and differences. It usually starts out simply by introducing the topics being contrasted or compared, followed by body paragraphs that go into more depth on the similarities and differences, and a concluding paragraph that restates the important points.

Each type of five-paragraph essay has its own unique characteristics and requirements. When unsure how to write five paragraph essay, writers can choose the most appropriate structure for their topic by understanding the differences between these types.

5 Paragraph Essay Example Topics

Here are some potential topics for a 5 paragraph essay example. These essay topics are just a starting point and can be expanded upon to fit a wide range of writing essays and prompts.

• The Impact of Social Media on Teenage Communication Skills.
• How Daily Exercise Benefits Mental and Physical Health.
• The Importance of Learning a Second Language.
• The Effects of Global Warming on Marine Life.
• The Role of Technology in Modern Education.
• The Influence of Music on Youth Culture.
• The Pros and Cons of Uniform Policies in Schools.
• The Significance of Historical Monuments in Cultural Identity.
• The Growing Importance of Cybersecurity.
• The Evolution of the American Dream.
• The Impact of Diet on Cognitive Functioning.
• The Role of Art in Society.
• The Future of Renewable Energy Sources.
• The Effects of Urbanization on Wildlife.
• The Importance of Financial Literacy for Young Adults.
• The Influence of Advertising on Consumer Choices.
• The Role of Books in the Digital Age.\
• The Benefits and Challenges of Space Exploration.
• The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture.
• The Ethical Implications of Genetic Modification.

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General Grading Rubric for a 5 Paragraph Essay

The following is a general grading rubric that can be used to evaluate a five-paragraph essay:

Content (40%)

• A thesis statement is clear and specific
• The main points are well-developed and supported by evidence
• Ideas are organized logically and coherently
• Evidence and examples are relevant and support the main points
• The essay demonstrates a strong understanding of the topic

Organization (20%)

• The introduction effectively introduces the topic and thesis statement
• Body paragraphs are well-structured and have clear topic sentences
• Transitions between paragraphs are smooth and effective
• The concluding sentence effectively summarizes the main points and restates the thesis statement

Language and Style (20%)

• Writing is clear, concise, and easy to understand
• Language is appropriate for the audience and purpose
• Vocabulary is varied and appropriate
• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct

Critical Thinking (20%)

• Student demonstrate an understanding of the topic beyond surface-level knowledge
• Student present a unique perspective or argument
• Student show evidence of critical thinking and analysis
• Students write well-supported conclusions

Considering the above, the paper should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topic, clear organization, strong essay writing skills, and critical thinking. By using this grading rubric, the teacher can evaluate the essay holistically and provide detailed feedback to the student on areas of strength and areas for improvement.

Five Paragraph Essay Examples

Wrapping up: things to remember.

In conclusion, writing a five paragraph essay example can seem daunting at first, but it doesn't have to be a difficult task. Following these simple steps and tips, you can break down the process into manageable parts and create a clear, concise, and well-organized essay.

Remember to start with a strong thesis statement, use topic sentences to guide your paragraphs, and provide evidence and analysis to support your ideas. Don't forget to revise and proofread your work to make sure it is error-free and coherent. With time and practice, you'll be able to write a 5 paragraph essay with ease and assurance. Whether you're writing for school, work, or personal projects, these skills will serve you well and help you to communicate your ideas effectively.

Meanwhile, you can save time and reduce the stress associated with academic assignments by trusting our research paper writing services to handle the writing for you. So go ahead, buy an essay , and see how easy it can be to meet all of your professors' complex requirements!

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is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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Structuring the Five-Paragraph Essay: Examples of Five-Paragraph Essays

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A cat is a man's best friend.

This model essay is a good example of an Argumentative (or Persuasive) Essay. 

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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > The pros and cons of the five-paragraph essay

The pros and cons of the five-paragraph essay

The five-paragraph essay is a writing structure typically taught in high school. Structurally, it consists of an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. This clear structure helps students connect points into a succinct argument. It’s a great introductory structure, but only using this writing formula has its limitations.

What is a five-paragraph essay?

Outside of the self-titled structure, the five-paragraph essay has additional rules. To start, your introductory paragraph should include a hook to captivate your audience. It should also introduce your thesis , or the argument you are proving. The thesis should be one sentence, conclude your introductory paragraph, and include supporting points. These points will become the body of your essay. The body paragraphs should introduce a specific point, include examples and supporting information, and then conclude. This process is repeated until you reach the fifth concluding paragraph, in which you summarize your essay.

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The benefits of a five-paragraph essay

• Your ideas are clear. Presenting your ideas in a succinct, organized manner makes them easy to understand and the five-paragraph essay is designed for that. It provides a clear outline to follow. And most importantly, it’s organized around the thesis, so the argument can be traced from the beginning of the essay to its conclusion. When learning how to write essays, losing track of your thesis can be a common mistake. By using this structure, it’s harder to go on tangents. Each of your points are condensed into a single paragraph. If you struggle presenting your ideas, following this structure might be your best bet.
• It’s simple. Creating an essay structure takes additional brainpower and time to craft. If an essay is timed in an exam, relying on this method is helpful. You can quickly convey your ideas so you can spend more time writing and less structuring your essay.
• It helps build your writing skills. If you’re new to writing essays, this is a great tool. Since the structure is taken care of, you can practice writing and build your skills. Learn more writing tips to improve your essays.

The cons of writing a five-paragraph essay

• The structure is rigid. Depending on its usage, the structure and convention of the five paragraphs can make creating an essay easier to understand and write. However, for writing outside of a traditional high school essay, this format can be limiting. To illustrate points creatively, you might want to create a different structure to illustrate your argument.
• Writing becomes repetitive. This format quickly becomes repetitive. Moving from body-to-body paragraph using the same rules and format creates a predictable rhythm. Reading this predictable format can become dull. And if you’re writing for a college professor, they will want you to showcase creativity in your writing. Try using a different essay structure to make your writing more interesting
• Lack of transitions. Quickly moving through ideas in a five-paragraph structure essay doesn’t always leave room for transitions. The structure is too succinct. Each paragraph only leaves enough space for a writer to broadly delve into an idea and then move onto the next. In longer essays, you can use additional paragraphs to connect ideas. Without transitions, essays in this format can feel choppy, as each point is detached from the previous one
• Its rules can feel unnecessary. Breaking your essay into three body paragraphs keeps it concise. But is three the perfect number of body paragraphs? Some arguments might need more support than three points to substantiate them. Limiting your argument to three points can weaken its credibility and can feel arbitrary for a writer to stick to.

Creating essays using the five-paragraph structure is situational. Use your best judgement to decide when to take advantage of this essay formula. If you’re writing on a computer with Microsoft Word , try using Microsoft Editor to edit your essay.

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How to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay

The five-paragraph essay is often assigned to students to help them in this process. A good five-paragraph essay is a lot like a triple-decker burger, and it is therefore often called the hamburger essay. It requires a clear introduction and conclusion (the top and bottom bun) that hold the main body of the essay (the burger and all the juicy stuff) in place.

Before you start writing an essay, you need to get organised. Read through the task you are given several times, underlining important words that tell you what you are expected to do. Pay special attention to the verbs in the task you are given ('discuss', 'summarise', 'give an account of', 'argue'…). Make sure you do what you are asked and that you answer the whole question, not just parts of it.

Introduction

The introduction to a text is extremely important. A good introduction should accomplish three things:

• Firstly, try to capture the reader’s interest and create a desire to read on and learn more. There are many ways to achieve this. For example, you can start with a relevant quotation from a famous person or a short anecdote. You could also present some interesting statistics, state a startling fact, or simply pose a challenging question.
• Secondly, provide the reader with the necessary information to understand the main body of the text. Explain what the paper is about and why this topic is important. What is the specific focus of this paper? Include background information about your topic to establish its context.
• Thirdly, present your approach to the topic and your thesis statement. The thesis statement is the main idea of the essay expressed in a single sentence. Make sure your thesis statement comes out clearly in your introduction.

The body of the essay consists of three paragraphs, each limited to one idea that supports your thesis. Each paragraph should have a clear topic sentence: a sentence that presents the main idea of the paragraph. The first paragraph should contain the strongest argument and the most significant examples, while the third paragraph should contain the weakest arguments and examples. Include as much explanation and discussion as is necessary to explain the main point of the paragraph. You should try to use details and specific examples to make your ideas clear and convincing.

In order to create a coherent text, you must avoid jumping from one idea to the next. Always remember: one idea per paragraph. A good essay needs good transitions between the different paragraphs. Use the end of one paragraph and/or the beginning of the next to show the relationship between the two ideas. This transition can be built into the topic sentence of the next paragraph, or it can be the concluding sentence of the first.

You can also use linking words to introduce the next paragraph. Examples of linking words are: in fact, on the whole, furthermore, as a result, simply put, for this reason, similarly, likewise, it follows that, naturally, by comparison, surely, yet, firstly, secondly, thirdly …

This is your fifth and final paragraph. The conclusion is what the reader will read last and remember best. Therefore, it is important that it is well written. In the conclusion, you should summarise your main points and re-assert your main claim. The conclusion should wrap up all that is said before, without starting off on a new topic. Avoid repeating specific examples.

There are several ways to end an essay. You need to find a way to leave your reader with a sense of closure. The easiest way to do this is simply to repeat the main points of the body of your text in the conclusion, but try to do this in a way that sums up rather than repeats. Another way to do it is to answer a question that you posed in the introduction. You may also want to include a relevant quotation that throws light on your message.

A few notes before you hand in your essay

After you have finished, read through your essay with a critical eye. Does your thesis statement in the introduction match the discussion in the main body and the conclusive statements in the final paragraph? It is important that you build your text logically, so that each part of the essay supports, proves, and reflects your thesis.

You should also remember that a good writer of formal essays:

• does not use abbreviations or contractions.
• does not use first-person pronouns, such as 'I', 'me' and 'my'. It is better to make your statements more general, using 'it is commonly believed that', 'we tend to think', 'scientists argue that'…
• does not engage in personal stories. Stories about your own life experiences, or the experiences of your friends or families do not belong in academic writing.
• does not use a language which is too casual, such as sentences that begin with words like 'well', 'sure', 'now', 'yes', 'no' ...
• does not use slang. Words like 'gonna' and 'wanna' are not accepted in formal essays.
• does not start sentences with conjunctions: 'but', 'and', 'or', 'because'…”.
• uses linking words. This creates better logic and coherence in your text.

Below we have structured three short essays for you and given you the topic sentences for each paragraph. Choose one of them and write it as a full text. Add facts and reflections under each paragraph. Make sure there are good transitions between the paragraphs.

The importance of learning English

Introduction: the importance of learning English

Living in a multicultural world

International job market

A better travelling experience

The importance of a good education

Introduction: the importance of a good education

Competitive job market

Independence

Personal growth

Living in a digital world

Introduction: living in a digital world

Important for working life

Important in communication

Part of our everyday lives

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