Expository Essay Lesson 5

What’s that mean? (review) An expository essay is “a form of writing which intends to define, inform, explain, elaborate and expound the author’s subject to the reader”. Huh…? It means: You get to write about a topic you know and explain it to your reader. *http://www.writeawriting.com/essay/expository-essay-writing/

Who is your best friend? And Why How’s it work? (review) Who is your best friend? And Why You get a writing prompt, (like the one on the side.) Or choose your own. Figure out what is the central point you’re going to write about. Come up with your topic. Brainstorm details and supporting facts. Write your essay. Revise. Polish and publish it.

What parts does an essay have? Review Opening paragraph- contains your central idea (At least) three body paragraphs- contains your topic sentences and supporting details Concluding paragraphs- your feelings

Body paragraphs Transitions words are important to help with making your writing smooth. Each body paragraph will explore a topic sentences. You should have at least 2 supporting details. Each supporting detail should have an elaboration sentence.

Topic Sentences Each detail of your web will be it’s own topic sentence for a body paragraph. My sister helps me. My sister is always there for me. My sister is fun to be around.

Topic Sentences My sister helps me. My sister is always there for me. My sister is fun to be around. For example: One reason why my sister is my best friend is because she helps me. My sister is always there for me is another reason why she is my best friend. Finally, Charletta is fun to be around. Notice how each of my sentences begins the same way. That means each of my paragraphs would start the same way and that is a no-no. We need some transitional words or phrases. The bold, underlined words are the transition words.

Supporting Details You branstormed supporting details for each of topic. Now we need to turn them into sentences. She give me advice. She babysits my kids. She shares recipes with me. Give me advice - babysits my kids -shares recipes with me

Supporting Details BEFORE She give me advice. She babysits my kids. She shares recipes with me. AFTER My sister gives me advice. Whenever I need her to, she’ll babysit my kids. She is such a good cook, I love when she shares recipes with me. These are some pretty boring sentences AND they all start the same. Not good! The second set is better, right?

Concluding Sentence Topic Sentence: One reason why my sister is my best friend is because she helps me. Before Concluding Sentence- It’s nice to have a friend who helps me. After It’s nice to have a friend who can lend a hand when I need it. This final sentence in each paragraph is a restatement of your topic sentence with some emotion thrown in. But I need to change it more. I can Use the thesaurus in word to help with that.

Putting it all together One reason why my sister is my best friend is because she helps me. My sister gives me advice. Whenever I need her to, she’ll babysit my kids. She is such a good cook, I love when she shares recipes with me. It’s nice to have a friend who can lend a hand when I need it. Here is a good example of a body paragraph, but it can still be stronger. Elaboration sentences add more punch to your words.

Elaboration sentences This paragraph is better. Why? I gave an eaxmple of each way my sister helps me. When you write you want to keep asking yourself questions. Who is my best friend? my sister Why ? because she helps me How does she help me? She watches my kids When did she watch your kids? when we went to the conference The more detail you can add the stronger you will be able to show your reader why you think what you think. One reason why my sister is my best friend is because she helps me. My sister gives me advice. If I don’t know what to do about something, I know I can ask Charletta. One time,I had a difficult descion to make about homeschooling my daughter and my sister encouraged me to do it. Also, whenever I need her to, she’ll babysit my kids. My husband and I went to conference and Charletta kept all three of my kids. Finally, my sister is such a good cook, I love when she shares recipes with me. All of my best recipes come from her. It’s nice to have a friend who can lend a hand when I need it.

Assignment Chose 2 of your webs and write 1 body paragraphs for each . Try to use as much detail as you can. Remember: to indent your paragraphs, use correct spelling and pucntuation.