The paragraph essay is a common assignment both in lower levels of academic study such as elementary, middle and high schools and in higher levels such as universities. The five-paragraph essay, which is the most familiar type of paragraph essay, consists of a single paragraph to introduce the subject of the essay, three paragraphs that contain the essay’s body, and a concluding paragraph.
Other than introducing the subject of the essay, the first paragraph is also used to capture the attention of the reader and to keep the reader hooked onto the essay. This introductory paragraph will typically include a thesis statement at its tail end.
The following three paragraphs, which form the body of the essay, are used to validate and justify the essay writer’s claims as expressed in the thesis statement. In these three paragraphs, the writer will present evidence to back up his claims. This evidence may be in the form of facts or figures. The essay writer may also cite authorities on the subject to back up his claims. The writer of the essay will ordinarily also anticipate any counterarguments and neutralize them in these three paragraphs.
Having made his case, the writer will proceed to the last paragraph of the essay – the conclusion – in which he will summarize the main arguments of his essay and reaffirm the thesis. Following these guidelines would generally result in an acceptable paragraph essay, but the writer would also need to ensure that he keeps to the proper mechanics of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. He must also ensure the factual accuracy of the paragraph essay. With a little more practice, writing a paragraph essay would become as easy as pie!
