The Five Paragraph Essay Structure
The Five-Paragraph Essay Structure: How to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay
Writing a paragraph
This guide shows the three main parts of an essay and explains what should be contained within each paragraph. Paragraphs are the building blocks of any essay, we need to understand what a paragraph is and how it is structured to write a good essay. It contains the Topic sentence, the argument, evidence to it, a discussion and the concluding sentence.
What is a paragraph?
Within each paragraph are sentences that perform different roles.
Each paragraph in the body of an essay should contain:
1. A topic sentence (or main idea sentence) that states your point;
2. An explanation of the point you’re making; and
3. Evidence. Most of the time, your point should be supported by some form of evidence from your reading, or by an example drawn from the subject area.
Don’t just leave the evidence hanging there, you will need to analyse it! Comment on the implication/significance/impact, and finish off the paragraph with a critical conclusion you have drawn from the evidence.
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Type of sentence Role within the paragraph
Topic introducer sentence: Introduces the overall topic of the text (generally in the first paragraph).
Topic sentence: Introduces a paragraph by identifying the topic of that paragraph.
Developer sentence: Expands the topic by giving additional information.
Modulator sentence: Acts as a linking sentence and is often introduced by a signpost word, moving to another aspect of the topic within the same paragraph
Transition/Terminator: Concludes the discussion of a topic within a paragraph, but can also be used as a transition sentence, where it provides a link to the topic of the next paragraph.
The Five-Paragraph Essay (Academic Essay) structure
The five-paragraph essay usually comprises the introduction, three body paragraphs, and the conclusion.
- INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH
The first paragraph of a five-paragraph essay starts with a sentence that grasps the attention of the potential reader and introduces the essay. It is also in the first paragraph where the thesis statement is found. The thesis statement defines exactly what the essay is all about. The essay then transitions to the second paragraph. In summary, it does the following;
- Arouse the reader’s interest
• Set the scene and explain how you interpret the question set
• The thesis statement identifies the issues that you are going to explore
• Give a brief outline of how you will deal with each issue
- BODY PARAGRAPHS
The second paragraph of a five-paragraph essay starts with the first point in support of the thesis. This should be the strongest point in the essay. The introductory sentence is followed by a sentence giving evidence in support, and another to explain the evidence. This is followed by the last sentence, which concludes the paragraph and then introduces the next paragraph of the five-paragraph essay. This procedure is repeated in the third and fourth paragraphs. This is to ensure that each paragraph has its own point which it supports.
- Paragraph 1
Covers the first thing you said you would address. The first sentence (the topic sentence) introduces the main idea of the paragraph.
Other sentences develop the topic. Include examples, details, evidence, references etc.
- Paragraph 2 and other paragraphs
The first sentence links the paragraph to the previous paragraph, then introduces the main idea of the paragraph
- CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH
After the body paragraphs, the conclusion is written. This is the final paragraph which summarizes the entire essay, restates the thesis statement introduced in the first paragraph, and concludes the entire essay. No new point should be introduced at this stage.
- Draw everything together.
• Summarize the main themes.
• State your general conclusions
• Make it clear why those conclusions are significant
• Do not introduce new material
• In the last sentence, sum up your argument very briefly, linking it to the title
• Set the issues in a broader perspective/wider context
