DEVELOPING THE FIVE-PARAGRAPH ESSAY

WHAT IS THE FIVE-PARAGRAPH ESSAY?

The traditional five-paragraph essay consists of three main parts: the introduction, the body and the conclusion. Below is an overall structure of the five-paragraph essay.

The Introduction

The first paragraph of an essay is the introduction. The introduction can be further broken down into three parts.

1. The Lead In

The introduction usually begins with a general perspective of the topic. This first part of the introduction is called the “lead in.”

For example:

My father passed away when I was a little girl. However, for as long as I can remember, I have never felt his absence because my mother was always there for me through all the good and bad times.

2. The Transition

The transition narrows the topic. It is a more specific sentence or sentences which points out the particular aspect of the topic that will be discussed.

For example:

My mother, Aminah Abdullah, raised me the best that she could. She has been an inspiration to me as the pillar of my strength and the source of unconditional love.

In the example above, the aspect which is highlighted by the writer is that her mother has been the pillar of her strength and the source of unconditional love.

3. The Thesis Statement

The main idea of the essay is stated in the thesis statement. The thesis statement contains three main ideas which will be developed in the body paragraphs. For example:

My mother always astonishes me as she carries out the duties of both mother and father, holds a full-time job and still manages to tend to all my needs. The three main ideas which will be further developed are: carries out the duties of both mother and father; holds a full-time job; and still manages to tend to all my needs.

The Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs develop the idea presented in the introduction. There are three main parts of the body paragraph.

1. Topic Sentence

Each body paragraph has a topic sentence. The topic sentence expresses the main idea of the body paragraph. It is one of the three main supporting ideas as stated in the thesis statement.

For example:

First and foremost, my mother has always played the role of being both a mother and father to me ever since I could remember.

2. Supporting Details

Supporting details are specific information which clarify, explain, illustrate and develop the main idea in the topic sentence. Supporting details can be divided into two types: major support and minor support.

For example:

Like a father, she is the bread winner of the family, pays the bills, sets the rules and is a stern disciplinarian. Although she can be strict at times, she is always a compassionate loving mother with a heart of gold. Like all mothers, she always has time to listen to my problems, lends me a shoulder to cry on, holds me when I need to be held and givse advice when I need them.

3. Concluding Sentence

The concluding sentence brings closure to the idea of the paragraph by paraphrasing the topic sentence. The concluding sentence may also suggest the content of the next paragraph.

For example: By and large, despite not having a father, I have never felt any emotional void because my mother has been doing an outstanding job in carrying out the role of both mother and father.

The Conclusion

The conclusion is the last paragraph of the essay. It contains four main

components in bringing the essay to a close. It may give advice or a

warning. It may make a prediction or ask a question. Sometimes it can

bring new insights and discoveries which the writer has gained through

writing the essay.

1. Paraphrase of the Lead-In

For example:

To conclude, I credit my mother for never having to feel the pain of the

absence of a father.

2. Paraphrase of the Transition

For example: My mother is a remarkably strong and loving woman.

3. Paraphrase of the Thesis Statement

For example: who, has juggled duties as both a mother and father to me, as well as being a  successful career woman and a compassionate caregiver.

4. Statement Emphasizing and Expanding the Importance of the Topic

For example:

Her generous spirit and undying dedication to both her work and family have truly inspired me. I, too, hope that one day I can be as amazing as her in instilling the same positive spirit and values in my own children.

Model of a Five-Paragraph Essay

Emotional Intelligence

            The key to the path of finding true happiness can be seen by some as being surrounded by happiness in his or her life. We simply need to look at one critical factor: emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand and effectively apply the power of emotions. Emotions can be powerful in overriding thoughts and influencing behaviours. Developing the skills of emotional intelligence helps us to harness the power of our emotions in heading to success and happiness in our lives. Therefore, emotional intelligence is important in both personal and professional life as it helps us to manage stress and conflict in a constructive way.

            Emotional intelligence is important in one’s personal life. Although emotional intelligence cannot protect us from experiencing the bitterness of life, it does help us go through hard times by recognizing reality with faith and to rebound quickly. People with low emotional intelligence tend to escape from the harshness of reality through obsessive behaviours, compulsive spending habits, drugs, alcohol, violence, strange cults and extreme religions. Most relationship problems are also due to breakdowns in the skills of emotional intelligence.

            Emotional intelligence is also important from a professional perspective. Studies have shown that a person who is a top scorer is not often most successful, either in personal or professional life. This is especially true at the workplace where people come from different backgrounds and have different characters. Therefore, it is difficult to void disagreements. Although it is healthy to allow the existence of disagreements to encourage competency at the workplace, lacking the skills of emotional intelligence will lead to undesirable conditions. That is why nowadays, in many corporations, the culture of team spirit is heavily emphasized. An individual with high emotional intelligence is more likely to be more empathetic, understanding and approachable, which makes him or her to relate, to communicate, and to cooperate with others in the working environment better.

            Emotional intelligence enables us to manage stress and conflict in a constructive way. It is not unusual for a person to perform well under favourable circumstances. What separates top performers from weak performers in the workplace is the calmness in stressful and chaotic situations. We often hear of very capable workers underperforming in a given task due to environmental factors or personal issues. This shows that many people are easily distracted by temptations and emotions. All of us have emotions such as fear, anxiety, anger, sadness and discontent. A person with high emotional intelligence will channel these emotions as a source of energy, creativity and influence. Emotions are no longer obstacles in achieving ultimate goals but rather motivation and inspiration.

            Emotional intelligence is important in both personal and professional life because it helps us to manage stress and conflict constructively. Developing emotional intelligence does not mean hiding and suppressing our emotions but rather experiencing them fully. We are all born with a capacity to experience the full range of human emotions and yet many people are disconnected from their feelings. Emotions are not always negative as we usually perceive. Having emotions is normal as long as one knows how to manage them. Therefore, mastering the skills of emotional intelligence is essential to enjoy greater happiness, health and better relationships.

IMPORTANCE OF AUDIENCE IN ESSAY WRITING

Before you begin writing your first draft on paper, there is one important aspect of the process of writing which you must address: you must decide what audience you are writing for. Your audience will influence your choice of vocabulary, sentence structure, and even the kind of evidence you use to support your thesis. Once you know who you are writing for, decide what you want the audience to take out of your work. Are you trying to persuade them or inform them? What will your audience know beforehand, and how much background information will you include? Making your material appeal to your audience is a crucial aspect of your work. After your introduction, your audience will decide if they want to read your work or not. If you disregard your audience they will lose interest and never read past the introduction. Therefore, always remember to keep your audience in mind.

OUTLINING

Making an outline helps you to organise how you will present your information. Here is an example of an outline that uses words, phrases and sentences.

Topic: Advantages of Group Study

I. Introduction

A. Lead-In

B. Background information

C. Thesis statement: The advantages of group study are students

become more motivated, more organised and develop better

relationships with friends.

II. Students become more motivated.

A. Topic sentence

B. Supporting detail 1

C. Supporting detail 2

III. Students become more organised.

A. Topic sentence

B. Supporting detail 1

C. Supporting detail 2

IV. Students develop better relationships with friends.

A. Topic Sentence

B. Supporting detail 1

C. Supporting detail 2

V. Conclusion

A. Paraphrase of the Lead-In

B. Paraphrase of the Transition

C. Paraphrase of the Thesis Statement

TRANSITIONS

What are Transitions?

Transitions are connective words, phrases, or sentences that show the relationship between ideas. They act as cues to assist readers in interpreting ideas the way that the writer wants them understood. Transitions are important because they clarify the content of a written work by showing relationships between ideas and by maintaining a clear flow of thought throughout. Transitions show how ideas relate to each other, thus, they aid organization and prevent abrupt, confusing shifts. In both academic writing and professional writing, your goal is to convey information clearly and concisely, if not to convert the reader to your way of thinking. Transitions help you to achieve these goals by establishing logical connections between sentences, paragraphs, and sections of your papers. Because the best transitions are those that most clearly and effectively guide the reader, it is up the writer to determine which transitions will do this best.

Transitions between Sentences

To achieve unity between the sentences within paragraphs, transitions should be used. Transitions between two sentences in a paragraph are often only a word or a phrase, and a writer’s choice of transitions may be somewhat restricted. Nevertheless, using transitions is critical to show the logical relationship and cohesive link between the sentences that make up the paragraph. Example with no transition:

Ashley is very tall. She does not play basketball. In this example, what kind of relationship is implied by the writer? It is unclear until the writer adjusts the sentences. There is a contrasting relationship between the two sentences. A possible way to rewrite these two statements is by using the word nevertheless/ but/ however/yet/etc.

Example with transition:

Ashley is very tall; nevertheless, she does not play basketball.

Transitions between Paragraphs

Transitions should not only link together sentences within a paragraph, but they should connect one paragraph to another. Transitions are crucial between paragraphs because they bridge the gaps to ensure that the reader is able to clearly follow this shift between ideas. Transitions should be used to both remind the reader of the ideas in the previous paragraph and what to look forward to in the paragraph that follows. Therefore, transitions between paragraphs can be quite complex. They often form entire sentences. There are unlimited options when transitioning between paragraphs. A successful transition must suggest how the two paragraphs are connected logically so that the content of one leads logically to the next. The transition will highlight a relationship that already exists by summarizing the previous paragraph and suggesting something of the content of the paragraph that follows. A transition between paragraphs can be a word or two (however, for example, similarly), a phrase, or a sentence. Transitions can be at the end of the first paragraph, at the beginning of the second paragraph, or in both places. Look at the example below:

Effective study groups involve hashing out lesson materials together – explaining concepts, arguing about them, figuring out why one person’s answer is different from the other and in the process you learn more than you would have by studying by yourself.

Assume that you want to emphasize more on this matter in the next paragraph. One way to organize your paragraphs is by using the logical relationship that indicates emphasis to the reader such as even, indeed, in fact, of course or truly. In fact, there are a variety of different advantages to studying in a study group.

Transitional Expressions

The ability to identify words or phrases that will indicate to the reader the kind of logical relationships you want to convey is key in constructing transitions. Look at the table below. Whenever you have trouble finding a word, phrase, or sentence to serve as an effective transition, refer to the information in the table for assistance. Look in the left column of the table for the kind of logical relationship you are trying to express. Then look in the right column of the table for examples of words or phrases that express this logical relationship. Take note that these words or phrases may have slightly different meanings. You should refer to a dictionary or a writer's handbook if you are unsure of the exact meaning of a word or phrase.

GRAMMAR – COMPLEX SENTENCES AND PARALLELISM

What is a Complex Sentence?

A complex sentence combines a subordinate clause with an main clause. The main clause has a subject and a verb and can act as a complete sentence. When the subordinate clause is placed before the main clause, the two clauses must be divided by a comma.

When the main clause is placed before the subordinate clause, no punctuation is needed.

Note that the combination of a phrase and a main clause does not technically constitute a complex sentence. However, if you identify a fragment that is a phrase, you can always combine it with a main clause to make a complete sentence. For example:

On their wedding anniversary Man and Jun always watch their wedding video.

or

Man and Jun always watch their wedding video on their anniversary.

When a complex sentence starts with a Subordinate clause e.g. Although it was cold, I took off my gloves. The sentence begins with a subordinating conjuction.

Parallelism

Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level. The usual way to join parallel structures is using conjunctions such as "and" or "or."

(a) Parallelism in Words and Phrases

With the –ing form (gerunds) of words:

Parallel:

Maria loves reading, running, and bicycling.

With infinitive phrases:

Parallel:

Maria loves to read, to run, and to ride a bicycle.

or

Maria loves to read, run, and ride a bicycle.

You can use "to" before all the verbs in a sentence or only before the

first one.

You should not mix forms.

Example 1

Not Parallel:

Maria loves reading, running, and to ride a bike.

Parallel:

Maria loves reading, running, and riding a bicycle.

Example 2

Not Parallel:

The lecturer was asked to write his evaluation quickly, accurately, and in detail.

Parallel:

The lecturer was asked to write his evaluation quickly, accurately, and thoroughly.

Example 3

Not Parallel:

The professor said that she was a poor student because she waited until the last minute to study for the exam, completed her reports in a careless manner, and has low motivation.

Parallel:

The professor said that she was a poor student because she waited until the last minute to study for the exam, completed her reports in a careless manner, and lacked motivation.

(b) Parallelism in Clauses

A parallel structure that begins with clauses must keep on with clauses. Changing to another pattern or changing the voice of the verb (from active to passive or vice versa) will break the parallelism.

Example 1

Not Parallel:

The teacher told the students that they should get enough rest, that they should watch their diet, and to do some exercises before the test.

Parallel:

The teacher told the students that they should get enough rest, that they should watch their diet, and that they should do some exercises before the test.

or

Parallel:

The teacher told the students that they should get enough rest, watch their diet, and do some exercises before the test.

Example 2

Not Parallel:

The student expected that he would present his report in class, that there would be time for him to show his slide presentation, and that questions would be asked by the audience. (passive)

Parallel:

The student expected that he would present his report in class, that there would be time for him to show his slide presentation, and that questions would be asked by the audience.

(c) Parallelism in Lists after a Colon

Be sure to keep all the elements in a list in the same form. Example

Not Parallel:

Social networking sites can be used for these purposes: to find long lost friends, classmates, and looking for relatives.

Parallel:

Social networking sites can be used for these purposes: to find long lost friends, classmates, and relatives.