By Brenda B. Covert /
1 Don't be afraid of the expository essay. Expository is just a fancy word that has to do with explaining a subject/topic. An expository essay, then, is a written explanation of a subject. The goal is to share information with the reader. It may be abstract or concrete in nature. That is, it may be about an idea (the U.S. system of checks and balances) or about a real take-a-photo-of-it subject (making a toothpick model of the Golden GateBridge).
2 Your expository essay will exhibit your knowledge of a subject. That knowledge may be familiar to you already, or it may require research. It will be fact-based and not opinion-based. It will be without first and second-person pronouns. Focus your attention on the topic and not yourself or the reader.
3 Explanations can be presented in a variety of methods, such as the following:
- Explain a step-by-step process
- Compare and/or contrast two items
- Explain with examples
- Divide and classify
- Identify a cause-effect relationship (causal analysis)
4 The first method requires sequential order in the details. If you were to write the instructions for making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, laying out the bread would come before spreading the peanut butter and jelly, which comes before putting the two slices of bread together--sticky side in, of course! Methods #2 through #4 employ an order of importance; the two options are to arrange the information from most-to-least important (news reporting style) or least-to-most important (dramatic buildup). The method of causal analysis involves one of two options: identify a cause and predict its effect, or present the effect and identify its cause. For example, if the effect is that Hammy is dripping wet, the cause might be that he got caught in the rain or sprayed with a garden hose. It's detective work.
5 As you organize your paper, keep these guidelines in mind. Whether it takes just one paragraph or several to present your explanation, no paragraph should have less than three sentences. Each will need a topic sentence followed by two or more supporting sentences. Don't assume that the reader is familiar with any portion of your subject. Neither should you choose big, complicated words when a simple one will work. It is better to be understood than to appear erudite. (You don't know the meaning of erudite? That's the point! Showing off by used big words is annoying! Don't do it!) You should also avoid overuse of the word "then," as in "Then I went to school, and then I went to lunch, and then I went to recess."
6 Your essay will end with a concluding paragraph. It will summarize your points and bring the subject to a close. It won't contain any new material, but it should express the previous material in a different way.
7 It's time for you to begin your expository essay. Here is a brief summary to guide you.
I. Choose a topic. Perhaps you have a talent or skill to share. If so, keep yourself out of the essay. This paper should not be about you specifically; its purpose is to explain what something is, or how something is done, or why certain results occur. Possible topics include babysitting, car maintenance, camping, arts or crafts, or mastering a specific video game.
II. Prepare an introduction - capture the reader's attention and also state your purpose. Let the reader know what to expect as he or she reads your essay. If your topic were photography, your purpose might then be "to explain how to shoot awesome scenic photos."
III. Select the best method for presenting your explanation. Choose one of the five previously listed methods.
IV. Organize the essay. Choose your main points; these will become the topic sentences for the body of the essay. Decide whether your points will be sequential, listed in order from most-important to least-important or least-important to most-important.
V. Write the body paragraphs of the essay. Each paragraph will begin with a topic sentence followed by at least two sentences that support or further explain the topic sentence.
VI. Write your final paragraph. In the conclusion you will remind the reader of your subject and review the information that they just read. Don't slip any new facts or steps into the concluding paragraph.
Copyright © 2012 edHelper
The #2 passages are better because of specific adjectives and figurative language.
#1's: 9 was/were uses; #2's: 2 was/were uses
The water was sleeping; it means that the water was still, not moving.
In the 2nd passage the bird is named, and the rock is presented as a baby whale.
The rock was probably oval and smooth, like a whale's back. We can assume it was damp as well. It was not boulder-sized.
Simile: the rock was like a baby whale gliding down the river
The device used to describe the heat is personification.