How to Write a 5-Paragraph Essay
May 4, 2018

How to Write a 5-Paragraph Essay

One feels a sense of freedom when there are no restrictions to abide by, especially when it comes to writing. Having to observe the five-paragraph structure in an essay may not be appreciated by most students. If you are one of those writers who complains about it, keep reading and you will change your perception of such a structure once you learn how to handle it properly.

Create an outline

A well-structured outline is a way to keep your ideas organized. Outlining is an organizational pattern that guarantees the ordering of ideas in a comprehensible manner. Make sure that the outline does not comprise pieces of information that go beyond the three-paragraph network of the body, so that, together with the introduction and the conclusion, you reach five paragraphs, as required. Do not try to include all of the ideas that come to your mind. You can select which ones fit your purpose best. In other words, you should not choose the ideas that necessitate expansion in more than one paragraph; otherwise, you will have to trim down your paragraphs later on.

Avoid redundancy

As a matter of fact, redundancy is an obstacle that holds you back from accomplishing a perfect essay. Avoiding needless expansions and useless explanations will help you respect the limit in terms of paragraph number. Be careful not to include long quotes. First, they will make up a high percentage of the whole paragraph; second, they will have to be explained. Therefore, they should be avoided so that you do not add extra paragraphs. Needless repetition of the same idea is no use at all. One should be mindful not to fall into this trap; or the content would turn out to be meaningless.

Choose your arguments wisely

There are some types of ideas that if you choose to work on, you will need more than one paragraph to explain. Thus, you have better stay away from such arguments. Your main ideas have to be precise and concise. If they are not, you should stick to one and only one of their aspects—something you could tackle in one paragraph. For example, if you are to write an essay about the disadvantages of smoking, you could choose three relevant aspects such as respiration problem, social behavior, and criminality. Each feature could be elaborated on in one paragraph.

How to Write a 5-Paragraph Essay

One feels a sense of freedom when there are no restrictions to abide by, especially when it comes to writing. Having to observe the five-paragraph structure in an essay may not be appreciated by most students. If you are one of those writers who complains about it, keep reading and you will change your perception of such a structure once you learn how to handle it properly. Create an outline A well-structured outline is a way to keep your ideas organized. Outlining is an organizational pattern that guarantees the ordering of ideas in a comprehensible manner. Make sure that the outline does not comprise pieces of information that go beyond the three-paragraph network of the body, so that, together with the introduction and the conclusion, you reach five paragraphs, as required. Do not try to include all of the ideas that come to your mind. You can select which ones fit your purpose best. In other words, you should not choose the ideas that necessitate expansion in more than one paragraph; otherwise, you will have to trim down your paragraphs later on. Avoid redundancy As a matter of fact, redundancy is an obstacle that holds you back from accomplishing a perfect essay. Avoiding needless expansions and useless explanations will help you respect the limit in terms of paragraph number. Be careful not to include long quotes. First, they will make up a high percentage of the whole paragraph; second, they will have to be explained. Therefore, they should be avoided so that you do not add extra paragraphs. Needless repetition of the same idea is no use at all. One should be mindful not to fall into this trap; or the content would turn out to be meaningless. Choose your arguments wisely There are some types of ideas that if you choose to work on, you will need more than one paragraph to explain. Thus, you have better stay away from such arguments. Your main ideas have to be precise and concise. If they are not, you should stick to one and only one of their aspects—something you could tackle in one paragraph. For example, if you are to write an essay about the disadvantages of smoking, you could choose three relevant aspects such as respiration problem, social behavior, and criminality. Each feature could be elaborated on in one paragraph.