Essay

ESSAY
An essay is a short non-fiction,
non-imaginary work about a subject.
It may be classified by tone and style
as formal or informal.
It has many purposes depending
on what the writer wants to write
about and how he/she wants to affect
the readers.
Three Main Parts

• Introduction
It is the opening part of the write-
up that shows the topic sentence of
the essay or the thesis statement. It
prepares the readers on the essay.
Therefore, it should be effective so
that the readers are encourage/
motivate to continue reading.
Effective introduction should

• Catch the reader’s attention, which

can be done, for example, by using a
direct announcement, a quotation, a
question, a definition, an unusual
comparison, or a controversial
position/opinion;
• Introduce the topic of the essay, (in
other words, inform the reader of and
provide a context for the topic being
discussed);
• Introduce the main idea (otherwise
known as the thesis or claim) of the
essay;
• Introduce the purpose of the essay
(will it inform, argue, persuade,
describe, narrate, classify, etc.?).
An effective body
paragraphs should

• Explain, illustrate, discuss, or provide

evidence to support the main idea
(thesis or claim) of the essay;
• Discuss only one aspect of the main
idea (whenever you move on to a
new supporting point, start a new
body paragraph);
• Body
An essay includes body
paragraphs, which develop the main
idea (thesis or claim) of the essay.
• Work together with the other body
paragraphs to support your essay’s
main idea;
• Work together with the other body
paragraphs to create a clear,
cohesive paper (clarity and
coherence can be achieved through
the use of transitions)
Conclusion
An essay ends with a brief
conclusion, which brings the essay to
a logical end. An effective conclusion
should:
brief;
predicting an outcome to the
main idea
giving an opinion
quotations
• Remind readers of the primary focus
of the essay, which can be done by
restating the main idea in different
words;
• Avoid introducing new ideas;
• Avoid apologies.
TYPES OF AN ESSAY
FORMAL ESSAY

This is known as impersonal

essay. The content is
informative and scientific in
nature. The writer uses the
“aesthetic” approach in
language and style.
INFORMAL ESSAY
It is called familiar or personal
essay. It expresses personal
experiences or observation on
human nature. Its purpose is to
entertain rather than to inform.
FORMS OF ESSAY
• DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY

It is an essay that illustrates by

using sensory words in order to bring
to the reader’s imagination what is
being talked about.
• NARRATIVE ESSAY

It is an essay that tells a story of

the writer or other’s story. It is usually
found in the feature writing sections
of newspaper or magazine
• EXPOSITORY ESSAY

It is an essay that explains

something so that reader can
understand.
• PERSUASIVE ESSAY

It is an essay that convinces

the reader to think in a certain way.
Elements of an Essay
• Audience- It refers to whom the essay
is intended for.
• Purpose- It refers to the intention or
goal in writing the essay.
• Subject- It is the topic discussed in
the essay.
• Point of view- It is the how the ideas
are told to the reader
• Theme- It refers to the lesson or
message of the essay.
• Mood- It refers to the feeling which
the writer would like the reader to
experience or get from the literary
work.
• Tone- It is the attitude of the writer
towards his/her subject
• Style- This is the special way in
which the ideas of the essay are
developed.