ENG 4U TYPES OF ESSSAYS

Wilson

TYPE OF ESSAY Description Author’s Purpose Text Elements Style Sample Topics
Descriptive Presents sensory To create a strong Figurative language Tends to be non- -Sunlight sets the
details, (sight, sound, impression and such as similes, academic mood for my day
smell, taste, feel) “paint” a picture with metaphors, imagery -A day in the life of a
about a person, words in the reader’s smoker
place, event or thing mind Focus on mood -Snowshoeing in
Nakina
Narrative Tells a story about an To reveal a life lesson Conflict Tends to be non- -Why I became a
event or experience or insight academic smoker
in the writer’s life Action and plot -My week camping in
the sun
Figurative language -The time I got a
concussion
Mood
Expository Objectively presents To inform, explain, Thesis statement Can be academic or The effect of smoking
researched facts, describe, or define non-academic on a person’s health
statistics, expert the subject Clear introduction, depending on
opinions, details and supporting body context, (e.g. The effects of
examples paragraphs, and university sunlight on a
conclusion assignment or person’s health
magazine feature)
The effects of
concussions on
student learning
Argumentative/ Presents evidence, To convince readers Thesis statement Can be academic or It should be illegal for
Persuasive reasoning, and of an opinion or non-academic, persons under 18 to
arguments to move readers to Clear introduction, depending on use tobacco products
support an opinion perform an action supporting body context
or point-of-view paragraphs, and All schools should
conclusion have a source of
natural sunlight

Adapted from Van Zoost, et al. Beyond Five Paragraphs