Different Types of Essays
Content
Different Types of Essays
Descriptive Essay has text which describes traits/ characteristics/ properties of people, objects, events, feelings, etc in intricate/ fine detail. Whatever is being described is thoroughly examined. Showing and not telling is what makes an essay technically descriptive. When you write a descriptive essay, you want to involve the reader’s senses and emotions. Hence the use of sensory details is desirable. Simple Description: “I got sleepy” vs Sensory Description: “As I was waiting for Santa on Christmas eve, looking out of the window, my eyelids began to get heavy, the lights on the tree began to blur with the green branches, and my head started to drop.” The second sentence gives vivid details to make the reader feel like he is there. Such a description is desirable in descriptive essays. Example of the Kind of Language Style Used in a Descriptive Essay: “Like his twisted feathers, his many scars, the reliable old owl chose the gnarled, weather-beaten, but solid branch. He often came to survey the fields and the clouds before his hunt, to listen to the steady sound of the stream passing through reeds under the bridge, while combing his feathers.”
Expository Essay presents, completely and neutrally, other people's views or to report about an event or a situation. The purpose is to inform, explain, describe, or define the author's subject to the reader. Expository text is meant to deposit information and is the most frequently used type of writing by students in colleges and universities. A wellwritten exposition remains focused on its topic and lists events in chronological order. Examples of expository writing include driving directions and instructions on performing a task, the impact of something (ex, an invention) on society, how a particular theory was developed etc. Organization is of prime importance in this type of essay writing. Key words such as first, after, next, then and last usually signal sequential writing. The use of first-person pronouns (I, we) should be avoided. Ex: I think global warming has become a universal concern. (1 st pronoun/ personal tone/ incorrect) It goes without saying that global warming is a universal concern now. (3 rd person/ neutral tone/ correct) Expository essays will not reveal the opinion of the writer. For instance, explain The Consequences of Global Warming.
Thus exposition or expository writing can have any of these specific purposes: • Describe events • Give directions • Present ideas • Describe objects • Describe a process Example of the Kind of Language Style used in an Expository Essay: Many people do not understand the importance of seat belts. More than forty thousand reported deaths are caused from car accidents each year. Various researches have shown that more than half of these deaths, more than twenty thousand lives, can be saved if the drivers/passengers wore seat belts. Many people, even after knowing these statistics still refuse to wear seat belts while driving as most of them think that seat belts actually do not help and can even be negative in case of an accident. This is why it is extremely important for everybody to understand why seat belts are important and why they must be worn at all times during traveling in a car.
Argumentative/ Persuasive Essay tries to convince the reader by demonstrating the truth or falsity of a topic. The writer is not neutral and has a clear stance/ point of view on the topic. The writer’s position will be backed up with certain kinds of evidence, like statistics, quotations, opinions of experts etc as proof of his point of view on the topic. In an argumentative essay, the writer is not just giving an opinion, but making an argument for or against something and supporting that argument. Example of the Kind of Language Style used in an Argumentative Essay: Why should common people be allowed to keep arms? “Gun control has been a controversial issue for years. A vast majority of citizens believe that if gun control is strictly enforced it would quickly reduce the threat of crime. Many innocent people feel they have the right to bear arms for protection, or even for the pleasure of hunting.” But thees nonregistered arms are made use of without any inhibition by people in sorting out trivial matters. Hence the news of a man killing his children, friends murdering each other over petty matters has become a norm in the society. Arm keeping needs to be justified.
Narration is telling a story from a certain viewpoint, and there is usually a reason for the telling. All narrative essays will have characters, setting, climax, and most importantly, a plot. The plot is the focus of the story and is usually revealed chronologically, but there are sometimes flash forwards and flash backs. In writing a narrative essay, remember to include sensory and emotional details, so the reader will experience the story, not just read the events following each other monotonously. It can be written in the first or third person. (1 st person= I, we and 3rd Person=he, she, it, they)
Example of the Kind of Language Style Used in a Narrative Essay/ Story: “Looking back on a childhood filled with events and memories, I find it rather difficult to gather the fabled warm and fuzzy feelings. As the daughter of an Air Force Major, I had the pleasure of traveling across the country in many moving trips.”
Descriptive Essay has text which describes traits/ characteristics/ properties of people, objects, events, feelings, etc in intricate/ fine detail. Whatever is being described is thoroughly examined. Showing and not telling is what makes an essay technically descriptive. When you write a descriptive essay, you want to involve the reader’s senses and emotions. Hence the use of sensory details is desirable. Simple Description: “I got sleepy” vs Sensory Description: “As I was waiting for Santa on Christmas eve, looking out of the window, my eyelids began to get heavy, the lights on the tree began to blur with the green branches, and my head started to drop.” The second sentence gives vivid details to make the reader feel like he is there. Such a description is desirable in descriptive essays. Example of the Kind of Language Style Used in a Descriptive Essay: “Like his twisted feathers, his many scars, the reliable old owl chose the gnarled, weather-beaten, but solid branch. He often came to survey the fields and the clouds before his hunt, to listen to the steady sound of the stream passing through reeds under the bridge, while combing his feathers.”
Expository Essay presents, completely and neutrally, other people's views or to report about an event or a situation. The purpose is to inform, explain, describe, or define the author's subject to the reader. Expository text is meant to deposit information and is the most frequently used type of writing by students in colleges and universities. A wellwritten exposition remains focused on its topic and lists events in chronological order. Examples of expository writing include driving directions and instructions on performing a task, the impact of something (ex, an invention) on society, how a particular theory was developed etc. Organization is of prime importance in this type of essay writing. Key words such as first, after, next, then and last usually signal sequential writing. The use of first-person pronouns (I, we) should be avoided. Ex: I think global warming has become a universal concern. (1 st pronoun/ personal tone/ incorrect) It goes without saying that global warming is a universal concern now. (3 rd person/ neutral tone/ correct) Expository essays will not reveal the opinion of the writer. For instance, explain The Consequences of Global Warming.
Thus exposition or expository writing can have any of these specific purposes: • Describe events • Give directions • Present ideas • Describe objects • Describe a process Example of the Kind of Language Style used in an Expository Essay: Many people do not understand the importance of seat belts. More than forty thousand reported deaths are caused from car accidents each year. Various researches have shown that more than half of these deaths, more than twenty thousand lives, can be saved if the drivers/passengers wore seat belts. Many people, even after knowing these statistics still refuse to wear seat belts while driving as most of them think that seat belts actually do not help and can even be negative in case of an accident. This is why it is extremely important for everybody to understand why seat belts are important and why they must be worn at all times during traveling in a car.
Argumentative/ Persuasive Essay tries to convince the reader by demonstrating the truth or falsity of a topic. The writer is not neutral and has a clear stance/ point of view on the topic. The writer’s position will be backed up with certain kinds of evidence, like statistics, quotations, opinions of experts etc as proof of his point of view on the topic. In an argumentative essay, the writer is not just giving an opinion, but making an argument for or against something and supporting that argument. Example of the Kind of Language Style used in an Argumentative Essay: Why should common people be allowed to keep arms? “Gun control has been a controversial issue for years. A vast majority of citizens believe that if gun control is strictly enforced it would quickly reduce the threat of crime. Many innocent people feel they have the right to bear arms for protection, or even for the pleasure of hunting.” But thees nonregistered arms are made use of without any inhibition by people in sorting out trivial matters. Hence the news of a man killing his children, friends murdering each other over petty matters has become a norm in the society. Arm keeping needs to be justified.
Narration is telling a story from a certain viewpoint, and there is usually a reason for the telling. All narrative essays will have characters, setting, climax, and most importantly, a plot. The plot is the focus of the story and is usually revealed chronologically, but there are sometimes flash forwards and flash backs. In writing a narrative essay, remember to include sensory and emotional details, so the reader will experience the story, not just read the events following each other monotonously. It can be written in the first or third person. (1 st person= I, we and 3rd Person=he, she, it, they)
Example of the Kind of Language Style Used in a Narrative Essay/ Story: “Looking back on a childhood filled with events and memories, I find it rather difficult to gather the fabled warm and fuzzy feelings. As the daughter of an Air Force Major, I had the pleasure of traveling across the country in many moving trips.”
