Expository Writing

The “How and Why” of Writing

 What is Expository Writing?
• Expository writing is defined as presenting
reasons, explanations, or steps in a process
• Informational writing
• An expository essay should follow a logical
sequence and have three different main points
• Logic and coherence is the main focus of an
expository essay
 Expository writing needs:
• One topic
• Reasons supporting that topic
• Details supporting the reasons
• A conclusion re-stating the reasons
• Transition words
• Clear, concise, logical and informative
language
 Outline for Expository
Title:
I.Introduction:
•Hook
•Thesis Statement
•Reasons that support topic (3)
•Background information on topic (3 reasons/sentences)

Body Paragraphs
II. First Reason (Paragraph 1) - III. Second Reason (Paragraph 2) - IV. Third Reason (Paragraph 3)
1. Fact/ or example explaining reason
2. Detail supporting fact/example
1. Fact/ or example explaining reason
2. Detail supporting fact/example
1. Fact/ or example explaining reason
2. Detail supporting fact/example
Sum- up statement

V. Conclusion:
Re- state all reasons in conclusion
Clincher sentence- gives a summation of the above and a “feeling” about the whole essay. Use transition words, plan reasons in a logical order, make sure
you re-state reasons in your conclusion.
 Expository Writing
– P. 1 Introduction: main idea and what the essay is about
• The 3 main reasons supporting this main idea
– P. 2: 1st reason & give details to support the 1st
reason
– P. 3: 2nd reason & give details to support the 2nd
reason
– P. 4: 3rd reason & give details to support the 3rd
reason
– P. 5 Conclusion: re-state all the reasons
 Definition of Terms

• Thesis Statement: The main idea of the whole essay

• Transition words: Words such as first, second, as a
result, which make transitions easy in the essay.
• Main Ideas: Each paragraph should have a main point
or idea
• Supporting Details: Details support the main ideas
 Introduction
Hook Thesis Statement
Catch your readers Can be what you
attention with a believe and what you
question, quote, short explain or prove. It is
anecdote, or personal in the intro./con. and is
experience statement. implied throughout
any of the paragraphs.
 Write one informational
Support sentence about each idea
you are going to write about

1st Idea

2nd Idea

3rd Idea
 Details
• Can be descriptive
• Can be factual
• Can be from personal experience
• Can be anecdotes (a short and interesting
story, or an amusing event, often proposed to
support or demonstrate some point, and to
make the audience laugh)
 Body Paragraph’s
• State the main idea for each paragraph
(reasons)
• 3 supporting details that support main idea that
include (3 sentences):
– details, personal experiences, facts, anecdotes.
 Conclusion
• Re-state all of your reasons in your conclusion
1. Reason
2. Reason
3. Reason
• Re-state thesis statement (proving statement)
 Transition words
• Add your transition words
– First
– Second
– Third
– Finally, or In Conclusion
 Editing your essay
• Check all the elements of an expository essay:
– Reasons
– Details
– Transition words
– Conclusion that re-states your topic
– Grammar
– Coherence, logic and clearly written
Expository Essay:
There are three different types of expository essays:
1) Essay that is developed with examples and/or facts and statistics
2) Essay that is developed with steps in a process
3) Essay that is in a compare and contrast format
Introductory Paragraph:
A. Thesis sentence
B. Background info
C. Statistics- if relevant
Body Paragraphs:
Paragraph 2: Reason#1 or Process #1 Use a transition word
A. Example/detail #1
B. Example/detail #2
C. Example/detail#3
Paragraph 3: Reason #2 or Process #2 Use a transition word
A. Example/detail #1
B. Example/detail#2
C. Example/detail #3
Paragraph 4: Reason #3 or Process #3 Use a transition word
A. Example/detail #1
B. Example/detail #2
C. Example/detail#3
Conclusion Paragraph:
Take a reason from each paragraph and RE-STATE it in the conclusion. Add a clincher sentence.
Evaluation:
Do you have a clear logical topic?
Have you introduced your topic in the first paragraph?
Do you have one reason per paragraph?
Do you have three details to support each reason?
Have you used transition words at the beginning of each paragraph?
 How is it different ?
• Expository writing does not tell a story
• Expository writing does not persuade a reader
but only gives facts and reasons
• Expository writing can also give the steps of a
process