How to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay

A five-paragraph essay follows a very strict yet simple format.  The first paragraph is the introductory paragraph, the next three paragraphs make up the body of the essay, and the last paragraph is the conclusion.

When writing the introductory paragraph of five-paragraph essays, you must be sure to include the thesis statement.  In addition, your introductory paragraph provides a sort of “mini outline” of what the rest of the essay will be about.  Most importantly, you must grab the reader’s attention with the introductory paragraph by using an attention grabber.  The three most commonly used attention grabbers include answering a question, stating an amazing or interesting fact, or telling a short story.  The final sentence of the introductory paragraph should serve to hook the reader and to transition to the body of the essay.

The first paragraph in the essay should discuss the most important point you plan to make in your essay.  The first sentence of this paragraph should tie back into the last sentence of the introductory paragraph.  In addition, the subject of this paragraph – which should tie into the thesis of the paper - should be introduced in either the first or second sentence of this paragraph.  The last sentence of the second paragraph should transition into the next paragraph.

In the third paragraph, which is the second paragraph of the body, you should discuss the next strongest point.  This point should be a clear follow up to the previous paragraph and should contain a transitional sentence at the beginning that ties it into the previous paragraph.  As with the previous paragraph, the topic of this paragraph should be introduced in the first or second sentence and should relate to the thesis statement.  The last sentence should transition into the next paragraph.  

The fourth paragraph, which is the third paragraph of the body, will present the weakest of the arguments, but should still be an appropriate follow up to the previous paragraph.  This paragraph should follow the same general format as the previous two paragraphs, but the last sentence should make it clear that you are providing the last major point that you intend to discuss as this will lead into the concluding paragraph.

The concluding must restate the thesis as well as the three main supporting ideas that were discussed in the previous three paragraphs.  These points need to be written in a new manner that is powerful and meaningful to the reader, as this is the last opportunity you will have to convince the reader of your point of view or of the validity of your essay.

After completing your five-paragraph essay, it is essential that you go back and proofread for grammatical errors, punctuation errors, and flaws in logic.  In addition, the transitional sentences that lead from one paragraph to the next and that help to tie your paragraphs together are an important component of the five-paragraph essay.  Therefore, be certain the transitions are clear and add more detail as necessary in order to complete a logically-flowing essay.

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