A Basic Essay Structure

When it comes to essay writing, there are a variety of structures you can follow depending on the question given. Here, however, we look at the basic essay structure, which simply refers to a five-paragraphed essay. This kind of structure has gained a lot of popularity in high school and undergraduate/college students. It is also the mainstay of essay writing for speakers of other languages taking English exams such as IELTS, CAE, TOEFL and etc. 

Generally, an essay is made up of three main parts— that is—what you are going to say {Introduction}, what you are saying {Body}, and what you have said {conclusion}. These three parts are the cornerstone of any essay you are going to write. 

The introduction

There are five important things you should consider when laying out your introduction paragraph(s). 

1. How you understand the question – It cannot be stressed enough how crucial this is to essay writing. Once you have a firm grip of the topic, then the rest will come a lot easier. You cannot expect to have a smooth flow of ideas when you do not understand the question or misinterpret parts of the question.

2. Opening sentences – You want your reader(s) engaged from reading the first word. Be very selective here but also do not complicate with big words or complex sentences. 

3. Outlining the essay – give a little background on what the topic is about, how you will talk about it and how you will prove your arguments. Deducting reasoning is the recommended approach; this means arranging your argument from a general statement then systematically breaking it down into specifics.

4. The length – This depends entirely on the length of the entire essay. Proportionality is important. For example, if you are writing a 400-500 word essay, then one paragraph is enough to introduce your essay. However, if you are writing a 5000 word essay, then spread it out to two or three paragraphs. Try to stay within the 1/5 or 1/10 fraction when writing your introduction.

5. Thesis Statement – It is the last sentence in your introduction but carries the most weight. This is what prepares the reader for the main arguments you will be putting forward. Make sure it is clear and well-put.

The Body

Using our basic essay structure, this part contains three paragraphs. Each paragraph presents one argument. The argument in each paragraph has to have a connection with the previous and the following paragraph. This can be quite challenging—even experienced academic writers find it tricky. 

The first line connecting the new paragraph to preceding one also called the topic sentence is where you state your argument. After which, you explain your point further and give evidence to support it. The next thing is giving an elaborate explanation on what your evidence means and how it relates to your thesis. 

Another thing is the order of your points. Most writers prefer the strongest argument to come first then working their way down to the weakest. Finally, comes the last sentence which summarizes your main point in each paragraph. 

The conclusion

The main task here is to recap your already stated arguments. Do not introduce anything new here. Remind your reader(s) what you meant to do. State your stand on the question and give a brief explanation on how and why you arrived at that conclusion. And then write your final sentence; it should be linked to the title of your essay.

The size of the essay required or even the question essay should not put you off anymore. If you use this basic essay structure approach, then you can write any essay topic. Remember, the more you practice the easier it gets with laying out ideas in your essay.