UNDERSTANDING

FORMAL AND
INFORMAL ESSAY
MS. ARMEA JOY D. JOCSON
 WHAT IS AN ESSAY?
An essay is a piece of factual writing in which
ideas on a single topic are presented, explained,
argued, or described in an interesting way. It is a
shaped and structured piece of writing with a
series of well-connected paragraphs.
 TWO MAIN TYPES OF ESSAYS:
 The formal essay was developed by Francis
Bacon, the Father of English Essay. It is a
reflection about life written in a rather serious
tone. It’s tone, language, and subject matter
are extremely formal. The writer’s purpose is to
explain, persuade, and to instruct. Thus it is
written in a highly organized manner and uses
more technical vocabulary.
 TWO MAIN TYPES OF ESSAYS:
 THE INFORMAL ESSAY, also known as the
familiar essay or personal essay, which was
popularized by Michel de Montaigne, does not
dwell on serious or scholarly ideas because its
subjects are the interesting and unique thoughts of
writers. The tone, style, and language vary
according to the individual style of the writer, but
generally the tone and style are playful and
conventional.
 SEVERAL TYPES OF ESSAYS

DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY

Creates a clear, vivid picture of its subject, which

may be a person, an animal, an event, an
object, or a place, on which the writer shares
his/her impressions about a specific topic.
 SEVERAL TYPES OF ESSAYS

02 BIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

 Presents an aspect in the life of a particular

individual.
 SEVERAL TYPES OF ESSAYS

03 CRITICAL ESSAY
 Critical essay-deals with an interpretation of
the significance of a creative work like
literature, music, drama, and the arts:
 SEVERAL TYPES OF ESSAYS

04 EXPOSITORY ESSAY
 Presents information or explains an idea. The
essayist sets forth the central idea that the
essay will develop in a thesis statement. The
thesis statement is a sentence or two that
clearly states the main idea of the essay.
 SEVERAL TYPES OF ESSAYS

05 REFLECTIVE ESSAY
 Reflective essay tackles serious and profound
thoughts about the fundamental problems of
life.
 SEVERAL TYPES OF ESSAYS

O6 PERSUASIVE ESSAY

 Persuasive essay aims to convince the

readers to accept a certain idea course of
action.
 In reading an essay, you should consider the
following:

CENTRAL IDEA - What information, idea, or

opinion is the author presenting?

PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE - For what purpose

and audience has the essay been written?
3. DESCRIPTIVE - What impression of the subject
does the essay create?

4. EXPOSITORY - What is the thesis statement?

How does the rest of the essay develop the thesis?

5. PERSUASIVE - What opinion does the author

present? What facts, examples, and reasons
support this opinion? To what emotions does the
author appeal?