How to Compose a Winning Essay in English

Different Types of Essays

There are many different types of essays that you will be required to write during the course of your academic career. Below are a few key essay types:

The Expository Essay

This is an essay that allows you, as the writer, to explain an idea, an issue, or a theme. The key to this type of essay is to explain the issue, the idea, or the theme to your audience. Your reaction to a book you just read could be written in the form of an expository if you opt to explain your response to the work and why you responded that way. You can also use the expository essay to offer a personal response to a game, work of art, world event, or political debate.

What are the most important qualities for this style of essay?

You want to keep the attention of the reader throughout. You want a well-defined thesis. Your paper needs to answer the question or support the topic. Do not let the paper wander. You want to provide sufficient evidence to support your topic too. Use facts and reasoning to support your arguments in a succinct manner. Make sure your essay is concise. Make the point and then conclude it properly. Do not believe that just repeating your case will cause the reader to side with you.

The Persuasive Essay

This is an essay that challenges you, as the writer, to convince your reader to adopt your position or point of view. Here, your argument is the most important thing. You need to present an opinion and then persuade your readers to side with that opinion.

What are the most important qualities for this style of essay?

You must have a definite point of view. You must keep the interest of the reader. You must have solid evidence and sound reasoning to back your point of view. You need to win over your intended audience. You need to research the topic so that you have only the most convincing evidence. You should get rid of passion or sentimentality in your writing, because this will not work for a persuasive essay. You want to convince them, so don’t repeat the same point, overdo your language, or bore the reader. Remember to keep a single topic per paragraph and to progress naturally from one paragraph to the next. When you finish, wrap things up with a strong conclusion.

 
 
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