After Pattern Based Writing, when students purpose or intent is to:

• Describe >>>> they write a >>>> Descriptive Paragraph

• Inform >>>> they write a >>>> Informative Paragraph
• Narrate >>>> they write a >>>> Narrative Paragraph
• Persuade >>>> they write a >>>> Persuasive Paragraph

It’s just that easy! Let’s get your students writing amazing paragraphs. Wait! Why
stop there? Why not get your students writing entire essays filled full of amazing
paragraphs? Check out the Pattern Based Writing program!
Descriptive Paragraph
1. Describe: I am going to DESCRIBE a sunset!
Sunset is the time of day when our sky meets the outer space solar winds. There are
blue, pink, and purple swirls, spinning and twisting, like clouds of balloons caught in a
blender. The sun moves slowly to hide behind the line of horizon, while the moon
races to take its place in prominence atop the night sky. People slow to a crawl,
entranced, fully forgetting the deeds that still must be done. There is a coolness, a
calmness, when the sun does set.
Informational Paragraph and a Narrative Paragraph
2. Inform: I am going to INFORM you about the Apollo 11 space mission.
On July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 spacecraft launched from the Kennedy Space Center
in Florida. Its mission was to go where no human being had gone before—the moon!
The crew consisted of Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin. The
spacecraft landed on the moon in the Sea of Tranquility, a basaltic flood plain, on July
20, 1969. The moonwalk took place the following day. On July 21, 1969, at precisely
10:56 EDT, Commander Neil Armstrong emerged from the Lunar Module and took
his famous first step onto the moon’s surface. He declared, “That’s one small step for
man, one giant leap for mankind.” It was a monumental moment in human history!
Narrate: I am going to NARRATE a story about the Apollo 11 space mission.
It was July 21, 1969, and Neil Armstrong awoke with a start. It was the day he would
become the first human being to ever walk on the moon. The journey had begun
several days earlier, when on July 16th, the Apollo 11 launched from Earth headed
into outer space. On board with Neil Armstrong were Michael Collins and Buzz
Aldrin. The crew landed on the moon in the Sea of Tranquility a day before the actual
walk. Upon Neil’s first step onto the moon’s surface, he declared, “That’s one small
step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” It sure was!
Process or How-to Paragraph
3. Process: I am going to explain the PROCESS of cleaning and organizing your
room.
OR
How-to: I am going to describe HOW-TO clean and organize your room.
Here is the perfect system for cleaning your room. First, move all of the items that do
not have a proper place to the center of the room. Get rid of at least five things that
you have not used within the last year. Take out all of the trash, and place all of the
dirty dishes in the kitchen sink. Now find a location for each of the items you had
placed in the center of the room. For any remaining items, see if you can squeeze
them in under your bed or stuff them into the back of your closet. See, that was
easy!
Compare and Contrast Paragraph
4. Compare/Contrast: I am going to COMPARE and CONTRAST an ocean and a
lake.
Oceans and lakes have much in common, but they are also quite different. Both are
bodies of water, but oceans are very large bodies of salt water, while lakes are much
smaller bodies of fresh water. Lakes are usually surrounded by land, while oceans are
what surround continents. Both have plants and animals living in them. The ocean is
home to the largest animals on the planet, whereas lakes support much smaller
forms of life. When it is time for a vacation, both will make a great place to visit and
enjoy.5. Critique: I am going to CRITIQUE the Blue Whales’ first baseball game of
the new season.

The Blue Whales just played their first baseball game of the new season; I believe
there is much to be excited about. Although they lost, it was against an excellent
team that had won the championship last year. The Blue Whales fell behind early but
showed excellent teamwork and came back to tie the game. The team had 15 hits
and scored 8 runs. That’s excellent! Unfortunately, they had 5 fielding errors, which
kept the other team in the lead the entire game. The game ended with the umpire
making a bad call, and if the call had gone the other way, the Blue Whales might
have actually won the game. It wasn’t a victory, but I say the Blue Whales look like
they have a shot at the championship, especially if they continue to improve.
Persuasive Paragraph and Argumentative Paragraph
6. Persuade: I am going to PERSUADE my neighbors to buy tickets to the school
fair.
The school fair is right around the corner, and tickets have just gone on sale. We are
selling a limited number of tickets at a discount, so move fast and get yours while
they are still available. This is going to be an event you will not want to miss! First off,
the school fair is a great value when compared with other forms of entertainment.
Also, your ticket purchase will help our school, and when you help the school, it
helps the entire community. But that’s not all! Every ticket you purchase enters you
in a drawing to win fabulous prizes. And don’t forget, you will have mountains of fun
because there are acres and acres of great rides, fun games, and entertaining
attractions! Spend time with your family and friends at our school fair. Buy your
tickets now!

Argue: I am going to present a logical ARGUMENT as to why my neighbor should

attend the school fair.
The school fair is right around the corner, and tickets have just gone on sale. Even
though you may be busy, you will still want to reserve just one day out of an entire
year to relax and have fun with us. Even if you don’t have much money, you don’t
have to worry. The school fair is a community event, and therefore prices are kept
low. Perhaps, you are still not convinced. Maybe you feel you are too old for fairs, or
you just don’t like them. Well, that’s what my grandfather thought, but he came to
last year’s school fair and had this to say about it: “I had the best time of my life!”
While it’s true you may be able to think of a reason not to come, I’m also sure you
can think of several reasons why you must come. We look forward to seeing you at
the school fair!
Problem and Solution Paragraph (Narrative Version and Informational
Version)
7. Problem/Solution: I am going to describe a kitty door PROBLEM and then
explain the kitty door SOLUTION.
Narrative Version (1st person)
Last week we installed a kitty door so that our cat could come and go as she pleases.
Unfortunately, we ran into a problem. Our cat was afraid to use the kitty door. We
tried pushing her through, and that caused her to be even more afraid. The kitty
door was dark, and she couldn’t see what was on the other side. The first step we
took in solving this problem was taping the kitty door open. After a couple of days,
she was confidently coming and going through the open door. However, when we
removed the tape and closed the door, once again, she would not go through. They
say you catch more bees with honey, so we decided to use food as bait. We would sit
next to the kitty door with a can of wet food and click the top of the can. When kitty
came through the closed door, we would open the can and feed her. It took five days
of doing this to make her unafraid of using the kitty door. Now we have just one last
problem; our kitty controls our lives!
Expository/Informational Article Version – This began as one paragraph, but needed
two—one for the problem and one for the solution. Also, notice that the second
paragraph is a process paragraph. It would be very easy to add an introduction and
conclusion to these two paragraphs and have a complete essay!
People often install a kitty door, only to discover that they have a problem. The
problem is their cat will not use the kitty door. There are several common reasons
why cats won’t use kitty doors. First, they may not understand how a kitty door
works. They may not understand that it is a little doorway just for them. Second,
many kitty doors are dark and cats cannot see to the other side. As such, they can’t
be sure of what is on the other side of the door, so they won’t take the risk. One last
reason cats won’t use kitty doors is because some cats don’t like the feeling of
pushing through and then having the door drag across their back. But don’t worry—
there are solutions to this problem.

The first step in solving the problem is to prop the door open with tape. This means
your cat will now be able to see through to the other side; your cat will likely begin
using the kitty door immediately. Once your cat has gotten used to using the kitty
door, remove the tape. Sometimes cats will continue to use the kitty door without
any more prompting. If this does not happen, you will want to use food to bribe your
cat. When it’s feeding time, sit on the opposite side of the door from your cat and
either click the top of the can or crinkle the cat food bag. Open the door to show
your cat that it is both you and the food waiting on the other side of the door.
Repeat this a couple times, and then feed your cat. After a couple days of this, your
kitty door problem will be gone.
Cause and Effect Paragraph
8. Cause/Effect: I am going to explain the CAUSES that had the EFFECT of making
me a high achieving student.
(Note: This is also a first person narrative.)
I do well in school, and people think I am smart because of it. But it’s not true. In
fact, three years ago I struggled in school. However, two years ago I decided to get
serious about school and made a few changes. First, I decided I would become
interested in whatever was being taught, regardless of what other people thought. I
also decided I would work hard every day and never give up on any assignment. I
decided to never, never fall behind. Finally, I decided to make school a priority over
friends and fun. After implementing these changes, I became an active participant in
classroom discussions. Then my test scores began to rise. I still remember the first
time that someone made fun of me because “I was smart.” How exciting! It seems to
me that being smart is simply a matter of working hard and being interested. After
all, learning a new video game is hard work even when you are interested.
Unfortunately, learning a new video game doesn’t help you get into college or get a
good job.
Personal Narrative Paragraph
9. Personal Narrative: I am going to give a PERSONAL NARRATION of an event that
changed my life.
Last year was the first time I had ever been the new kid at school. For the first four
days, I was completely alone. I don’t think I even spoke to a single person. Finally, at
lunch on the fifth day, Karen Watson walked past her usual table and sat down right
next to me. Even though I was new, I had already figured out who Karen Watson
was. She was popular. Pretty soon, all of Karen’s friends were sitting there right next
to me. I never became great friends with Karen, but after lunch that day, it seemed
like all sorts of people were happy to be my friend. You cannot convince me that
Karen did not know what she was doing. I have a great respect for her, and I learned
a great deal about what it means to be a true leader.
Four Different Types of Writing
Styles: Expository, Descriptive,
Persuasive, and Narrative
Updated on May 10, 2016

Definitions and explanations of the four types of writing: expository, persuasive, descriptive, and narrative. | Source

Four Types of Writing

A writer’s style is a reflection of his or her personality, unique voice, and way of approaching the
audience and readers.

However, every piece writers write is for a specific purpose—for example, writers may want to
explain how something works or persuade people to agree with their point of view. While there are
as many writer's styles as there are writers, there are only four general purposes that lead someone
to write a piece, and these are known as the four styles, or types, of writing. Knowing all four
different types and their usages is important for any writer.

Here are the categories and their definitions:

1. Expository

Expository writing explains or informs. It talks about a subject without giving opinions.

Expository writing's main purpose is to explain. It is a subject-oriented writing style, in which authors
focus on telling you about a given topic or subject without voicing their personal opinions. These
types of essays or articles furnish you with relevant facts and figures but do not include their
opinions. This is one of the most common types of writing. You always see it in textbooks and how-
to articles. The author just tells you about a given subject, such as how to do something.

Key Points:

 Usually explains something in a process.

 Is often equipped with facts and figures.

 Is usually in a logical order and sequence.

When You Would Use Expository Writing:

 Textbook writing.

 How-to articles.

 Recipes.

 News stories (not including opinion or editorial pieces).

 Business, technical, or scientific writing.

Example:
Many people associate the taste of pumpkins with fall. In October, companies from Starbucks to
McDonalds roll out their pumpkin-flavored lattes and desserts. Here is how to make an easy
pumpkin pie using only five ingredients. First, make sure you have all of the ingredients.

This writing is expository because it is explaining. In this case, you can already tell that the piece will
be about how to make a pumpkin pie.

Non-example:

Everyone knows that the best part about fall is all of the pumpkin-flavored desserts. Pumpkin pie is
the best fall treat because it is not only delicious but also nutritious. Pumpkin is filled with vitamin A,
which is essential for a healthy immune system and good vision.

This is not expository because several opinions are stated, such as “Pumpkin pie is the best fall
treat…” Although this excerpt contains a fact about pumpkin containing vitamin A, that fact is used
as evidence to support the opinion. These opinions make this an example of persuasive writing.

2. Descriptive

Descriptive writing focuses on communicating the details of a character, event, or place. |Source

Descriptive writing's main purpose is to describe. It is a style of writing that focuses on describing a
character, an event, or a place in great detail. It can be poetic when the author takes the time to be
very specific in his or her descriptions.

Example:

In good descriptive writing, the author will not just say: “The vampire killed his lover.”
He or she will change the sentence, focusing on more details and descriptions, like: “The bloody,
red-eyed vampire, sunk his rust-colored teeth into the soft skin of his lover and ended her life."

Key Points:

 It is often poetic in nature

 It describes places, people, events, situations, or locations in a highly-detailed manner.

 The author visualizes what he or she sees, hears, tastes, smells, and feels.

When You Would Use Descriptive Writing:

 Poetry

 Journal or diary writing

 Nature writing

 Descriptive passages in fiction

Example:

The iPhone 6 is unexpectedly light. While size of its screen is bigger than those of the iPhones that
came before, it is thinner, and its smooth, rounded body is made of aluminum, stainless steel, and
glass. The casing comes in a whitish silver, gold, or a color the company calls “space gray,” the color
of the lead of a pencil, with darker gray accents.

This is an example because it describes aspects of the phone. It includes details such as the size,
weight, and material.

Non-example:

So you just brought home a shiny new smartphone with a smooth glass screen the size of your
palm. The first thing you will want to do when purchasing a new cell is buy a case. Cracking your
screen is an awful feeling, and protection is inexpensive when you compare it to the costs of a new
phone.

Even though this example uses adjectives, you can tell that this is not an example of descriptive
writing because the purpose is not to describe the phone—it’s to persuade you to buy a case.
3. Persuasive

Persuasive writing tries to bring other people around to your point of view. | Source

Persuasive writing's main purpose is to convince. Unlike expository writing, persuasive writing
contains the opinions and biases of the author. To convince others to agree with the author's point of
view, persuasive writing contains justifications and reasons. It is often used in letters of complaint,
advertisements or commercials, affiliate marketing pitches, cover letters, and newspaper opinion and
editorial pieces.

Key Points:

 Persuasive writing is equipped with reasons, arguments, and justifications.

 In persuasive writing, the author takes a stand and asks you to agree with his or her point of
view.

 It often asks for readers to do something about the situation (this is called a call-to-action).

When You Would Use Persuasive Writing:

 Opinion and editorial newspaper pieces.

 Advertisements.

 Reviews (of books, music, movie, restaurants, etc.).

 Letter of recommendation.

 Letter of complaint.
  Cover letters

Example:

Following the 2012 Olympic Games hosted in London, the UK Trade and Investment department
reported a £9.9 billion boost to the economy. Although it is expensive to host the Olympics, if done
right, they can provide real jobs and economic growth. This city should consider placing a bid to host
the Olympics.

This is persuasive writing because the author has a belief—that “this city should consider placing a
bid to host the Olympics”—and is trying to convince others to agree.

Non-example:

According to legend, the Olympics were founded by Hercules. Now almost 100 countries participate
in the Games, with over two million people attending. So cities from Boston to Hamburg begin
considering their bid to be a host city more than 10 years in advance.

All of these statements are facts. Therefore it’s expository. To be persuasive writing, you must have
an opinion that you’re trying to persuade people of—then, of course, you will support that opinion
with evidence.

4. Narrative

A narrative tells a story. There will usually be characters and dialogue. | Source

Narrative writing's main purpose is to tell a story. The author will create different characters and tell
you what happens to them (sometimes the author writes from the point of view of one of the
characters—this is known as first person narration). Novels, short stories, novellas, poetry, and
biographies can all fall in the narrative writing style. Simply, narrative writing answers the question:
“What happened then?”

Key Points:

 A person tells a story or event.

 Has characters and dialogue.

 Has definite and logical beginnings, intervals, and endings.

 Often has situations like actions, motivational events, and disputes or conflicts with their
eventual solutions.

Examples of When You Would Use Persuasive Writing:

 Novels

 Short stories

 Novellas

 Poetry

 Autobiographies or biographies

 Anecdotes

 Oral histories

Example:

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said Jaelyn.

“You never used to be such a girl!” retorted Orin, pushing open the door.

Reluctantly, Jaelyn followed.

This is a narrative because it’s telling a story. There are different characters conversing, and a plot is
unravelling.

Non-example:

Cutting Edge Haunted House holds the Guinness World Record for the largest haunted house on
earth. It’s located in a district in Fort Worth, Texas known as "Hell's Half Acre" in a century-old
abandoned meat-packing plant. The haunted house takes an hour to complete, winding through
horrific scenes incorporating the factory's original meat-packing equipment.

While this would serve as a worthy setting for a story, it would need a plot before it could be called a
narrative.
 Conclusion
These are the four different types of writing that are generally used. There are many sub-types of
writing that may fall in any of those categories. A writer must know all these styles in order to identify
the purpose of his or her own writing and make sure it's something the audience wants to read.

Poll Time!

Which type of writing style do you prefer to use?

 Expository Writing

 Descriptive Writing

 Persuasive Writing

 Narrative Writing
Four types of essay: expository, persuasive,
analytical, argumentative
For our academic writing purposes we will focus on four types of essay.

1) The expository essay

What is it?
This is a writer’s explanation of a short theme, idea or issue.

The purpose of the expository essay is to explain a topic in a logical and straightforward manner.
Without bells and whistles, expository essays present a fair and balanced analysis of a subject
based on facts—with no references to the writer’s opinions or emotions.
A typical expository writing prompt will use the words “explain” or “define,” such as in, “Write an
essay explaining how the computer has changed the lives of students.” Notice there is no
instruction to form an opinion or argument on whether or not computers have changed students’
lives. The prompt asks the writer to “explain,” plain and simple. However, that doesn’t mean
expository essay writing is easy.

What are its most important qualities?

You want to get and, of course, keep your reader’s attention. So, you should:

 Have a well defined thesis. Start with a thesis statement/research question/statement of intent. Make sure
you answer your question or do what you say you set out to do. Do not wander from your topic.
 Provide evidence to back up what you are saying. Support your arguments with facts and reasoning. Do not
simply list facts, incorporate these as examples supporting your position, but at the same time make your
point as succinctly as possible.
 The essay should be concise. Make your point and conclude your essay. Don’t make the mistake of
believing that repetition and over-stating your case will score points with your readers.
Q…Treaty of Versailles was the chief cause of World War II, you would first talk about the conditions of the
Treaty of Versailles, the financial condition of Germany after WWI, the ineffectiveness of the Weimar
Republic, and how they all led to the rise of Nazism.
Structurally, a piece of expository writing has the following components:
 An introduction that introduces the central idea you’ll talk about in the essay or article.
 The main body that presents evidence to back up the idea. This is the meat of the essay and should
be at least 3-4 paragraphs long.
 A conclusion that presents your idea again in the light of the evidence.
Thus, the central thrust of expository writing should be to build towards proving an argument, fact by fact,
evidence by evidence. You’ll use expository writing a lot throughout your academic life.
Q…….. If you could change any one thing in the world, what would it be and why?
Q….A lot of medical research today focuses on developing medicinal cures to ageing. Presumably,
with the right breakthrough, humankind would live forever. How do you feel about this?
Q…… In a globalized world, learning a foreign language has become increasingly important. Do you
agree or disagree? Explain your answer in a detailed essay
Q…..What is a serious public health concern that you believe does not get enough attention?
Describe this problem in detail. Back up your arguments with appropriate research.
 Q……..Why is diversity in a workplace important?

2) The persuasive essay

What is it?
This is the type of essay where you try to convince the reader to adopt your position on an issue or point of view.

Here your rationale, your argument, is most important. You are presenting an opinion and trying to persuade readers,
you want to win readers over to your point of view.

What are its most important qualities?

 Have a definite point of view.

 Maintain the reader’s interest.
 Use sound reasoning.
 Use solid evidence.
 Be aware of your intended audience. How can you win them over?
 Research your topic so your evidence is convincing.
 Don’t get so sentimental or so passionate that you lose the reader, as Irish poet W. B. Yeats put it:
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity
 Your purpose is to convince someone else so don’t overdo your language and don’t bore the reader. And
don’t keep repeating your points!
 Remember the rules of the good paragraph. One single topic per paragraph, and natural progression from
one to the next.
 End with a strong conclusion.

1. Questions
Self-proclaimed “militia" should be closely monitored by the FBI.
2. Tax incentives for international adoption.
3. The government should cut off all foreign aid to dictatorships.
4. Online education is just as good as classroom learning.

3) The analytical essay

What is it?
In this type of essay you analyze, examine and interpret such things as an event, book, poem, play or other work of
art. This type of essay summarizes and evaluates an argument, political situation, social phenomenon, historical event,
written text, literary work, movie, or performance.

Steps in Writing
Your job writing a critical analysis paper is to:

Summarize: You will use your own words to explain clearly what happened. If it is an event, you will describe the situation, people, and
circumstances. If you are dealing with a text or a performance, you will explain the author's thesis, purpose, and audience. Your summary is
intended to help your audience understand this subject clearly and thoroughly.

Analyze: Next, you will explain the meaning of this event, text or performance. You will evaluate what happened and discuss whether it is
good, bad or both. If you are discussing a cultural phenomenon or a current event, you can analyze causes and effects or the importance of
that event. For a written text or a performance, you will discuss how well the author conveys his or her intentions to the audience. Is the
author convincing? What are the weaknesses?

Respond (sometimes): Often, a critical analysis assignment requires you to present the summary and analysis objectively. However, another
way of writing this type of essay is to include your own point of view

Questions

1. Adoption and intermarriage between people of different cultures and races has created more families of mixed
races and cultures in the United States and other countries. Describe this situation and analyze how adoption
and marriage across racial lines affect individuals in those families and the cohesion of the family as a whole.
2. The rise in divorce has created many more families headed, at least for a while, by a single parent. Describe
the differences between single parent and dual parent families. Analyze the effects of single parenting on
children, on the experience of the parent or on schools and communities.
3. The feminist movement fought to secure equal rights for women. How have the roles of men and women
changed over the last 40 years? How have they stayed the same? Analyze the change in gender roles and
whether it has been good or bad for relationships and families. How are these changes seen in cultural
images?

What are its most important qualities?

Your analytical essay should have an:

 Introduction and presentation of argument

The introductory paragraph is used to tell the reader what text or texts you will be discussing. Every literary
work raises at least one major issue. In your introduction you will also define the idea or issue of the text that
you wish to examine in your analysis. This is sometimes called the thesis or research question. It is
important that you narrow the focus of your essay.
 Analysis of the text (the longest part of the essay)
The issue you have chosen to analyze is connected to your argument. After stating the problem, present
your argument. When you start analyzing the text, pay attention to the stylistic devices (the “hows” of the
text) the author uses to convey some specific meaning. You must decide if the author accomplishes his goal
of conveying his ideas to the reader. Do not forget to support your assumptions with examples and
reasonable judgment.
 Personal response
Your personal response will show a deeper understanding of the text and by forming a personal meaning
about the text you will get more out of it. Do not make the mistake of thinking that you only have to have a
positive response to a text. If a writer is trying to convince you of something but fails to do so, in your
opinion, your critical personal response can be very enlightening. The key word here is critical. Base any
objections on the text and use evidence from the text. Personal response should be in evidence throughout
the essay, not tacked on at the end.
 Conclusion (related to the analysis and the argument)
Your conclusion should explain the relation between the analyzed text and the presented argument.
Tips for writing analytical essays:

 Be well organized. Plan what you want to write before you start. It is a good idea to know exactly what your
conclusion is going to be before you start to write. When you know where you are going, you tend to get
there in a well organized way with logical progression.
 Analytical essays normally use the present tense. When talking about a text, write about it in the present
tense.
 Be “objective”: avoid using the first person too much. For example, instead of saying “I think Louisa is
imaginative because…”, try: “It appears that Louisa has a vivid imagination, because…”.
 Do not use slang or colloquial language (the language of informal speech).
 Do not use contractions.
 Avoid using “etc.” This is an expression that is generally used by writers who have nothing more to say.
 Create an original title, do not use the title of the text.
 Analysis does not mean retelling the story. Many students fall into the trap of telling the reader what is
happening in the text instead of analyzing it. Analysis aims to explain how the writer makes us see what he
 or she wants us to see, the effect of the writing techniques, the text’s themes and your personal response to
these.

4) The argumentative essay

What is it?
This is the type of essay where you prove that your opinion, theory or hypothesis about an issue is correct or more
truthful than those of others. In short, it is very similar to the persuasive essay (see above), but the difference is that
you are arguing for your opinion as opposed to others, rather than directly trying to persuade someone to adopt your
point of view.

Question normally starts with a helping verb

1. Do You Spend Too Much Time on Smart Phones Playing ‘Stupid Games’?

2. Has Facebook Lost Its Edge?

3. Does Facebook Ever Make You Feel Bad?

4. Should What You Say on Facebook Be Grounds for Getting Fired?

5. Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online?

What are its most important qualities?

 The argument should be focused

 The argument should be a clear statement (a question cannot be an argument)
 It should be a topic that you can support with solid evidence
 The argumentative essay should be based on pros and cons (see below)
 Structure your approach well (see below)
 Use good transition words/phrases (see below)
 Be aware of your intended audience. How can you win them over?
 Research your topic so your evidence is convincing.
 Don’t overdo your language and don’t bore the reader. And don’t keep repeating your points!
 Remember the rules of the good paragraph. One single topic per paragraph, and natural progression from
one to the next.
 End with a strong conclusion.

Tips for writing argumentative essays:

1) Make a list of the pros and cons in your plan before you start writing. Choose the most important that support your
argument (the pros) and the most important to refute (the cons) and focus on them.

2) The argumentative essay has three approaches. Choose the one that you find most effective for your argument.
Do you find it better to “sell” your argument first and then present the counter arguments and refute them? Or do you
prefer to save the best for last?

 Approach 1:
Thesis statement (main argument):
Pro idea 1
Pro idea 2
Con(s) + Refutation(s): these are the opinions of others that you disagree with. You must clearly specify
 these opinions if you are to refute them convincingly.
Conclusion
 Approach 2:
Thesis statement:
Con(s) + Refutation(s)
Pro idea 1
Pro idea 2
Conclusion
 Approach 3
Thesis statement:
Con idea 1 and the your refutation
Con idea 2 and the your refutation
Con idea 3 and the your refutation
Conclusion
3) Use good transition words when moving between arguments and most importantly when moving from pros to cons
and vice versa. For example:

 While I have shown that.... other may say

 Opponents of this idea claim / maintain that …
 Those who disagree claim that …
 While some people may disagree with this idea...
When you want to refute or counter the cons you may start with:

 However,
 Nonetheless,
 but
 On the other hand,
 This claim notwithstanding
If you want to mark your total disagreement:

 After seeing this evidence, it is impossible to agree with what they say
 Their argument is irrelevant
 Contrary to what they might think ...
These are just a few suggestions. You can, of course, come up with many good transitions of your own.

4) Use facts, statistics, quotes and examples to convince your readers of your argument