 1. Every essay must have a proper structure  An essay must be broken into paragraphs to make it readable. It’s horrible reading a full page of solid text. Breaking down an essay into different sections is what allows it to flow in a logical manner.

 Introduction: Tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em. Introduce the topic and briefly outline the points you’re going to make in your essay in the order you’re going to write about them. If the essay is meant to argue a point, your teen should make it clear in the introduction what their argument/point of view is.  Body Paragraphs: Tell ‘em. An essay will usually have 3- 5 paragraphs. Each paragraph contains its own main point that contributes to the overall theme or argument of the essay.  Conclusion: Tell ‘em what you told ‘em. Sum up what the essay was about.

 You wouldn’t go on a road trip without a map and essays are just the same.  Before your teen starts writing an essay they should make a quick plan of what they’re going to write about.  An essay plan does not have to be a big thing. Not at all. It only takes a few minutes but will save you SO much time overall.  Essay plans instantly give an essay structure, they prevent you from forgetting to include any important points, and they prevent you from losing your way as you write.  An essay plan can be quickly scribbled in a margin, or the first page of an exam book that isn’t marked.

 This depends on what situation the essay is being written in.  You should check that the paragraphs are written in a logical order. Simply put – does the essay make sense? Read your essay aloud (or in their head) so they can see how it flows (or doesn’t as it may be).  You may also want to swap papers with a peer and peer edit.  If the essay is being written in an exam your teen won’t have the luxury of time. So the number one rule here is: stay until the end! While it may seem like eternity to a middle school student, exams aren’t actually that long. And a few minutes of proof reading can often make the difference between one grade and another. It’s worth staying right to the end.

 Now that you have made your revisions, recreate your essay in final draft version.  There should be no spelling errors, punctuation or grammar errors.  It should be neat and clean.  Remember: practice makes perfect.