How to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay

A five-paragraph essay is usually given to students as an assignment and is rarely used by professional writers. It is a way of helping students develop and organize their ideas when writing. Practicing how to write a five-paragraph essay also helps students as it is useful when it comes to answering essay questions during exams. And from the word itself, a five-paragraph essay is composed of five paragraphs – the introductory paragraph, the three main body paragraphs, and the concluding paragraph. As it may sound easy, writing this type of essay requires a good transition that will link each of the said paragraphs. So here are a few tips on how to write a five-paragraph essay.

Five-Paragraph Essay Writing Guidelines

• Introduction

In the introduction, you should state your topic, as well as your thesis statement, your position regarding the subject matter, and the three reasons or bases of your stance. The introductory paragraph should tell the reader what is your essay all about. It must be an attention-grabber and must also include a transition sentence in the end. 

• Body #1

Next, is the first body paragraph. Here, you should state and explain the most significant reason of your stated position. It should contain your strongest argument and should also include relevant examples. The topic in this paragraph should also link to the thesis statement. 

• Body #2

In this paragraph, you should name and expand the second most important reason of your stand or position. It should also contain your second strongest argument, including the significant examples. This paragraph should link to the first paragraph of your body, and should also end with a transition sentence.

• Body #3

In the third body paragraph, you should state your third most significant reason, as well as the explanation of what is behind your standpoint. In this paragraph, your weakest argument and weakest examples must be included. The first line in this paragraph should relate to the previous paragraph, while the last line should link to the next paragraph.

• Conclusion

The conclusion is the last and fifth paragraph. In this paragraph, you should restate your thesis statement, rephrase your position regarding the issue, as well as your reasons. The concluding paragraph must highlight your stand by expanding it and by summarizing the three main points discussed in the body. You can also include a possible solution to the issue.

An essay comes in different forms and assigning a student to do a five-paragraph essay is a way of measuring his basic writing skills. As with the other types of essays, there is always a certain rule to follow. Every time you are assigned to write a five-paragraph essay, make sure you check these tips.