How to write a Five Paragraph Essay

Students are commonly asked by teachers and tutors to write the classic five paragraph essay as a way to help them organize and develop their thoughts in writing. Professional writers rarely, if ever, use this technique. However, the five paragraph technique is a very capable method of answering an essay question on a test. Each paragraph has its own purpose, and links with the surrounding paragraphs in different ways.

A general discussion of your topic as well as a thesis statement should be located in your introduction, which also will be your first paragraph. Typically a thesis should be limited to one sentence which states your argument or purpose, and summarizes what your next few paragraphs will be about.

To illustrate, in an essay about airline safety, an introduction could start with some information about aviation records and what makes certain airlines or plane manufacturers more or less safe. It might also have a “grabber” statement about a horrific accident that was avoided because proper safety procedures were executed. An example of this would be the story of Captain “Sully” who landed his malfunctioning aircraft on the Hudson River and managed to avoid suffering any fatalities. The thesis briefly states the main reasons for emphasizing airline safety, and each reason would be discussed in the main body of the essay.

The main body paragraphs will focus on a single idea, reason, or example that supports your thesis. Each paragraph will have a clear topic sentence (a mini thesis that states the main idea of the paragraph) and as much discussion or explanation as is necessary to explain the point. You should try to use details and specific examples to make your ideas clear and convincing.

Your conclusion begins with a restatement of your main point; but be sure to paraphrase, not just repeat your thesis sentence. Then you want to add some sentences that emphasize the importance of the topic and the significance of your view. The conclusion is the reverse of the introduction in that it starts out very specific and becomes a bit more general as you finish.

Between each paragraph and the one that follows, you need a transition. Transitions signal relationships between ideas such as: "Another example coming up!" or "Here's an exception to my previous statement.” Basically, transitions provide the reader with directions for how to piece together your ideas into a logically coherent argument. Transitions are not just "window dressing" for your essay by making it sound or read better. They are words with particular meanings that tell the reader to think and react in a particular way to your ideas.

If you can stick to the basic principles of the five paragraph essay, you will find your test scores improving on the written portion of your exams. Your teachers and/or tutors will be impressed.

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Johnny Knoxville is author of this article on Tutor Dublin. Find more information about SAT Dublin here.

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