can i write a two paragraph essay

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Can an Essay be 2-Paragraphs? And how to write it

Even though writing essays can be challenging, writing a two-paragraph essay becomes even more complicated. It is always a challenging form of academic writing assessment that gives students stress.

Many wonder how do they do it? Does it even count as an essay? And what if you have too many points to fit in just two paragraphs for an essay?

Unlike the three-paragraph essay or the 5-paragraph essay , where one has many words to spare, the lack of words to waste makes a two-paragraph essay a mainstay for brevity, conciseness, and specificity. It is an essay that you write to address a topic with only 250 to 300 words, nothing more, nothing less.

To write an essay with two paragraphs, your organization and presentation skills must be top-notch. You will be recruiting and using the skills you use to write the longer essays, only that you must condense the content.

In this comprehensive short essay guide, you will learn what a two-paragraph essay looks like, the steps to take when writing one, the length and time it takes to write, and some of the best tips to use. By the time you are done, you will have a knack for writing a 2-paragraph essay.

Let us dig right into it!

What is a two-paragraph essay?

An essay can be two paragraphs. A two-paragraph essay is a brief or short written piece explaining one or two ideas in a few sentences and two paragraphs. It is a typical writing assessment for short-answer essay-based questions during examinations.

It is a condensed version of a traditional essay, but it needs you to explain the details or compress the content to fit within two paragraphs. A two-paragraph essay is about 8-16 sentences long. Its word count is between 250 words and 300 words. Therefore, it must be straightforward, brief, and concise. Like a one-paragraph essay, you must be highly mean or economical with words but spend your words writing about your topic.

When assigned to write a two-paragraph essay, knowing how to write an essay with one paragraph can come in handy.

A two-paragraph essay can have anything between 10-28 sentences, depending on how long such sentences are. The premise is based on the fact that a one-paragraph essay can be as long as 10-14 sentences long.

Outline for a two-paragraph essay

Writing and maintaining a suitable structure with only two paragraphs for content and other parts of an essay might be challenging, but not when you have an outline . On the other hand, it is advisable to stick to an outline when writing short essays. In this case, the outline limits and restricts the scope of your essay, ensuring that you wholly and briefly address the main point (s).

Paragraph 1

• Opening sentence/statement. Should introduce the first main point.
• First main point
• Supporting information to the first main point
• Concluding sentence that includes transition

Paragraph 2

• Topic sentence. Transitions from the first main point to the second one. Introduces the second main point. You can use transition words such as in addition, on the other hand, likewise, etc.
• Second main point. A sentence that details the second point of your essay. It should relate to your topic and thesis statement.
• Supporting information for the second main point. These sentences introduce evidence to illustrate, explain, expound on, and provide examples that support the main point. You should also have a sentence that comments on the evidence or the commentary to present the evidence in your own words. Again, you should use transition words to ensure the flow of ideas.
• Concluding sentence for the second main point . This sentence summarizes the entire work, offers closure to the whole essay, and wraps up the paper.

Structure of a Two Paragraph Essay

Since your essay consists of two paragraphs, it must have a thesis statement, topic sentences, supporting sentences, and concluding sentences. Then, assuming you have already settled on a topic, you must research. And after the research and outlining are done, here is how to organize or plan your essay to discuss ideas in the two paragraphs.

Note that when writing such an essay, you must select two strong points that stand a high chance of directly answering the question or prompt. So, what does a two-paragraph essay look like?

Just like a standard academic essay, ensure that you have a title page. The title page bears the title of your essay, name of your institution, name of your professor/instructor, course code and name, date of submission, etc. The title pages vary depending on your chosen formatting style, i.e., MLA, APA, Harvard, or Chicago. Remember, never underline the headline of your essay. And if you have to bold the title, only do it if the formatting style allows you to do so.

Topic statement

The topic sentence is the mini-thesis of your paragraphs. When writing a two-paragraph essay, the topic sentence captures the content of the sentences within a paragraph. It answers the main title and is a logical explanation of the claims presented within the header. Ensure that your topic sentences are brief, cogent, and relatable.

Supportive points

After the topic sentences (two in this case) comes a series of supporting sentences that contain details about the points raised in your opening sentence. This is the series of sentences in the paragraphs where you integrate evidence, use factual data, provide examples, and illustrate the ideas to prove the validity of the topic sentence. In a two-paragraph essay, you could have up to five or four supporting sentences to back up the thesis of your essay.

Concluding statement

Just like you opened the paragraph, you must close it. Having a closing sentence in the body of your essay does the trick. It winds or wraps up the paragraph and transitions it to the next. The closing sentence affirms to your readers the reason the topic statement was valid, given the facts presented in the supporting sentences.

You can only use the transition sentence in the closing sentence of the first paragraph for a 2-paragraph essay. The second closing sentence winds up the entire essay and offers closure so that the writer is in a complete loop of information. It is a conclusive statement for the whole of the essay.

To avoid plagiarism, you must integrate evidence from scholarly sources into an essay . The only best way is to have in-text citations and a list of references (works cited, bibliography, or references page). Then, ensure that the work is referenced appropriately, following your professor's formatting and citation style.

Related: How to structure paragraphs effectively.

How do you write an Essay in 2 Paragraphs? The Steps

You are being tested for your comprehension, critical thinking, creativity, analytical, and organization skills; that's the purpose of assigning you to write a two-paragraph essay. In addition, a two-paragraph essay must show that you can be specific in deciding the best material and evidence to put forth when handling a topic and discarding unwanted or irrelevant information.

Like the one-paragraph essay, you will take the skills that a longer essay needs and condense the ideas and steps to achieve the same objective. Here is how you can write a perfect essay in just two paragraphs.

Step 1: Choose a topic

It is a cliché in most of our articles and an essential step. However, choosing a good topic for an essay delineates a successful and a failing student. When writing an essay, your first step is to select a topic before brainstorming for ideas. Then, if you have a specific question or topic provided, you can jump to the next step. Otherwise, select a topic that is relatable, interesting, easy to find information about, and one you enjoy writing about.

Step 2: Brainstorm for Ideas

With the topic knowledge, research widely, take notes, and brainstorm the ideas you wish to include in your essay. As you research and brainstorm, organize the relevant and valid sources for later use. Sometimes, you do not need sources if it is part of an exam. Then, all you need to do is develop related ideas and write a short two-paragraph essay answer.

Step 3: Narrow down your thesis

Like other short essays, a two-page essay is a condensed version of the longer ones. Because you understand what is required of you, come up with a brief, declarative, and informative statement describing your essay's gist. This is your thesis statement , which is presented in the first sentence of the first paragraph of the two-paragraph essay.

Step 4: Outline your ideas

Quickly write an essay outline where you define what goes where and in what sequence. The outline should be the backbone of your essay when it comes to the writing stage. You can do this faster to ensure that no time is wasted or that you do not derail when writing. Next, outline the paragraphs to determine the tone of the topic sentences and the supporting and closing sentences.

Step 5: Write the essay

To write the essay, which can take 20-30 minutes, start by writing the first topic sentence. The first topic sentence bears a condensed version of the thesis and serves as an attention grabber for your readers. It should be outstanding, short, and sweet. Next, present the examples, illustrations, facts, and elaborations as your supporting sentences. Cite as you write to ensure that you correctly cite the information. Finally, conclude the first paragraph by wrapping up the paragraph and transitioning to the second paragraph.

Repeat the steps you did in the first and second paragraphs, only that the last sentence wraps up the entire essay. Lastly, sum up the two paragraphs and close the essay.

Step 6: Proofread, edit, and submit

As a final step, which takes approximately 5-10 minutes, address all your essay's errors, mistakes, and omissions. Ensure that you proofread your essay well before submitting it for assessment. Also, ensure that your essay is submitted within the recommended deadline and in the correct format (PDF or Word document).

The above techniques, approaches, or steps can save time writing a two-paragraph essay. The two-paragraph essay rule applies to short college essays, personal statements, leadership, nursing philosophy, and brief narrative essays. Sometimes, there is no need for sources. Nevertheless, maintain the structure we have discussed above.

Tips to Make an excellent two-paragraph essay

Let's assume that you are sitting for an exam and would like to write a two-paragraph essay that answers the short essay-based questions. You can use these tips to spice up your writing, conclusively answer the question, and win the heart of the markers, professor, or instructor.

1. Be brief

Being economical with words will save you the trouble of truncating ideas when done. It also helps save time. Instead, use loaded sentences that capture the main ideas you want to communicate. Besides, avoid using too many words to explain something when you can use a word or two. When explaining concepts, be thorough, composed, and brief to avoid confusing the readers.

2. Keep it romped up

Your essay must grab the attention of the readers. Remember, your first or first opening sentence is your thesis statement. Therefore, you can begin with a hook as a thesis statement for this short essay. Just like in the one-paragraph essay . Besides, ensure that every body paragraph focuses on the idea mentioned in the topic sentence. Keep your relevance, validity, and authenticity by citing any information borrowed. Your choice of words should also be top-notch.

3. Maintain a good organization

Ensure that your two-paragraph essay is well-organized. For example, have the two body paragraphs with distinguishable topic sentences, supporting sentences, and closing sentences. As well, plan your essay well before writing. A good organization will help you avoid wasting words and reduce the chances of unnecessary repetition.

4. Use transitions

Use linking words, signals, and sentences to ensure a smooth flow of ideas in your essay. Making good use of transitions always carries the day. Ensure that you do not overuse the transitions or that you don't use the wrong transitions for the sake of it.

6. Proofread and edit well

There are high chances of your professor being keen on your essay, given that it is short. Therefore, you have to limit the chances of them awarding a poor grade just because of a few errors and mistakes. Therefore, follow our self-editing checklist and edit, proofread, and polish the 2-paragraphs of your essay. Remember to assess and correct the grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. Also, check whether your essay has a good choice of words; replace the complex vocabulary if you can. The simpler your essay is to read and understand, the higher the chances of a good grade.

Related Reading: How to write an analytical essay .

Wrapping Up

An essay can have two paragraphs if you are requested to fulfill writing a given number of words on a given topic in two paragraphs. Majorly, a two-paragraph essay is between 250 and 300 words.

It contains two well-balanced paragraphs that expound on a narrowed-down thesis. Two-paragraph essays have a slightly different structure from conventional essays.

And now, with the steps, tips, and explanations, we have the best writers if you want to hire someone to write your 2-paragraph essay. Our essay service has some of the finest writers you will ever meet.

You can use the model of two-paragraph essays to revise, learn how to write, and understand how to organize short essays.

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How to Write a 2 Paragraph Essay: The Only Guide You’ll Need

The two-paragraph essays are among the shortest and the easiest ones to begin developing writing skills. They do not require to disclose the topic thoroughly and in detail, as they are somewhat limited in the word count. However, you should be cautious with this type of assignment as being laconic is often harder than writing a lot. If you have issues with writing your essay, be sure to check our tips on how to write a two-paragraph essay.

How to Get the Knack of Writing a   2 Paragraph Essay 

Writing a two-paragraph essay may be both easy and challenging. On the one hand, it shouldn’t be time-consuming: you are about to write 8-15 sentences, which does not require a lot of work. At the same time, you should push all the necessary information in only two paragraphs, while usually, the essay presupposes not less than three: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. That is why some professors give the assignment to write a short paper to the senior students: they want to check the ability of the writers to provide all the necessary information in a short form. Therefore, while writing your essay in two paragraphs, you should spend enough time choosing the most relevant information, while being able to avoid unnecessary facts and arguments. Here are the few tips on how to write a short essay:

• Skip an introduction and go straight to the point — or make your introduction no longer than one sentence. Remember that you have only two paragraphs for all your thoughts, so writing a long introduction is surely unnecessary. You may leave only one short sentence to ensure the excellent flow of your work or just leave it out completely.
• Write at least 3-5 sentences in each paragraph. The fact that you need to write your essay in two paragraphs only doesn’t mean that you should write a few words on the topic in general. Be sure to include all the necessary ideas in your writing. 
• Don’t forget about the paragraph structure. Like every essay, the short one also should have the paragraphs with a clear structure: you should use a topic sentence, a supporting idea, and a concluding sentence for each point you are writing on.
• Be sure to use transitions. Although you have only two paragraphs in your essay, you should ensure that it is easy to read and follow. Therefore, either add a transitional sentence at the end of the first paragraph or make the concluding sentence also the transitional one.
• Don’t overload your paper with information. It would be hard, but you should avoid any empty constructions, additional points, and examples that are not extremely necessary for the support of your ideas.

The Outline for a Two-Paragraph Essay

Apart from choosing only the most necessary information, maintaining a suitable structure within only two paragraphs may be really challenging. For this reason, we advise you to stick to the basic outline that is recommended for writing a short essay. You may see it below:

1. The first paragraph

•  Introducing sentence (optional).
•  Main point 1.
•  Supporting information for the main point 1. 
•  Concluding sentence for the main point 1. 
•  Transitional sentence (optional, may be included in the concluding sentence).

2. The second paragraph

• Main point 2. 
•  Supporting information for the main point 2. 
•  Concluding sentence for the main point 2. 
•  Summarizing sentence.

If you are not feeling confident while writing the two-paragraph essay, you can always get professional assistance from  myeasypaper.com  experts. Just order an essay, attach your instructions, and wait a bit to get your perfect paper done. 

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11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

How do you structure a paragraph in an essay?

If you’re like the majority of my students, you might be getting your basic essay paragraph structure wrong and getting lower grades than you could!

In this article, I outline the 11 key steps to writing a perfect paragraph. But, this isn’t your normal ‘how to write an essay’ article. Rather, I’ll try to give you some insight into exactly what teachers look out for when they’re grading essays and figuring out what grade to give them.

You can navigate each issue below, or scroll down to read them all:

1. Paragraphs must be at least four sentences long 2. But, at most seven sentences long 3. Your paragraph must be Left-Aligned 4. You need a topic sentence 5 . Next, you need an explanation sentence 6. You need to include an example 7. You need to include citations 8. All paragraphs need to be relevant to the marking criteria 9. Only include one key idea per paragraph 10. Keep sentences short 11. Keep quotes short

Paragraph structure is one of the most important elements of getting essay writing right .

As I cover in my Ultimate Guide to Writing an Essay Plan , paragraphs are the heart and soul of your essay.

However, I find most of my students have either:

• forgotten how to write paragraphs properly,
• gotten lazy, or
• never learned it in the first place!

Paragraphs in essay writing are different from paragraphs in other written genres .

In fact, the paragraphs that you are reading now would not help your grades in an essay.

That’s because I’m writing in journalistic style, where paragraph conventions are vastly different.

For those of you coming from journalism or creative writing, you might find you need to re-learn paragraph writing if you want to write well-structured essay paragraphs to get top grades.

Below are eleven reasons your paragraphs are losing marks, and what to do about it!

Essay Paragraph Structure Rules

1. your paragraphs must be at least 4 sentences long.

In journalism and blog writing, a one-sentence paragraph is great. It’s short, to-the-point, and helps guide your reader. For essay paragraph structure, one-sentence paragraphs suck.

A one-sentence essay paragraph sends an instant signal to your teacher that you don’t have much to say on an issue.

A short paragraph signifies that you know something – but not much about it. A one-sentence paragraph lacks detail, depth and insight.

Many students come to me and ask, “what does ‘add depth’ mean?” It’s one of the most common pieces of feedback you’ll see written on the margins of your essay.

Personally, I think ‘add depth’ is bad feedback because it’s a short and vague comment. But, here’s what it means: You’ve not explained your point enough!

If you’re writing one-, two- or three-sentence essay paragraphs, you’re costing yourself marks.

Always aim for at least four sentences per paragraph in your essays.

This doesn’t mean that you should add ‘fluff’ or ‘padding’ sentences.

Make sure you don’t:

a) repeat what you said in different words, or b) write something just because you need another sentence in there.

But, you need to do some research and find something insightful to add to that two-sentence paragraph if you want to ace your essay.

Check out Points 5 and 6 for some advice on what to add to that short paragraph to add ‘depth’ to your paragraph and start moving to the top of the class.

• How to Make an Essay Longer
• How to Make an Essay Shorter

2. Your Paragraphs must not be more than 7 Sentences Long

Okay, so I just told you to aim for at least four sentences per paragraph. So, what’s the longest your paragraph should be?

Seven sentences. That’s a maximum.

So, here’s the rule:

Between four and seven sentences is the sweet spot that you need to aim for in every single paragraph.

Here’s why your paragraphs shouldn’t be longer than seven sentences:

1. It shows you can organize your thoughts. You need to show your teacher that you’ve broken up your key ideas into manageable segments of text (see point 10)

2. It makes your work easier to read.   You need your writing to be easily readable to make it easy for your teacher to give you good grades. Make your essay easy to read and you’ll get higher marks every time.

One of the most important ways you can make your work easier to read is by writing paragraphs that are less than six sentences long.

3. It prevents teacher frustration. Teachers are just like you. When they see a big block of text their eyes glaze over. They get frustrated, lost, their mind wanders … and you lose marks.

To prevent teacher frustration, you need to ensure there’s plenty of white space in your essay. It’s about showing them that the piece is clearly structured into one key idea per ‘chunk’ of text.

Often, you might find that your writing contains tautologies and other turns of phrase that can be shortened for clarity.

3. Your Paragraph must be Left-Aligned

Turn off ‘Justified’ text and: Never. Turn. It. On. Again.

Justified text is where the words are stretched out to make the paragraph look like a square. It turns the writing into a block. Don’t do it. You will lose marks, I promise you! Win the psychological game with your teacher: left-align your text.

A good essay paragraph is never ‘justified’.

I’m going to repeat this, because it’s important: to prevent your essay from looking like a big block of muddy, hard-to-read text align your text to the left margin only.

You want white space on your page – and lots of it. White space helps your reader scan through your work. It also prevents it from looking like big blocks of text.

You want your reader reading vertically as much as possible: scanning, browsing, and quickly looking through for evidence you’ve engaged with the big ideas.

The justified text doesn’t help you do that. Justified text makes your writing look like a big, lumpy block of text that your reader doesn’t want to read.

What’s wrong with Center-Aligned Text?

While I’m at it, never, ever, center-align your text either. Center-aligned text is impossible to skim-read. Your teacher wants to be able to quickly scan down the left margin to get the headline information in your paragraph.

Not many people center-align text, but it’s worth repeating: never, ever center-align your essays.

Don’t annoy your reader. Left align your text.

4. Your paragraphs must have a Topic Sentence

The first sentence of an essay paragraph is called the topic sentence. This is one of the most important sentences in the correct essay paragraph structure style.

The topic sentence should convey exactly what key idea you’re going to cover in your paragraph.

Too often, students don’t let their reader know what the key idea of the paragraph is until several sentences in.

You must show what the paragraph is about in the first sentence.

You never, ever want to keep your reader in suspense. Essays are not like creative writing. Tell them straight away what the paragraph is about. In fact, if you can, do it in the first half of the first sentence .

I’ll remind you again: make it easy to grade your work. Your teacher is reading through your work trying to determine what grade to give you. They’re probably going to mark 20 assignments in one sitting. They have no interest in storytelling or creativity. They just want to know how much you know! State what the paragraph is about immediately and move on.

Suggested: Best Words to Start a Paragraph

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing a Topic Sentence If your paragraph is about how climate change is endangering polar bears, say it immediately : “Climate change is endangering polar bears.” should be your first sentence in your paragraph. Take a look at first sentence of each of the four paragraphs above this one. You can see from the first sentence of each paragraph that the paragraphs discuss:

When editing your work, read each paragraph and try to distil what the one key idea is in your paragraph. Ensure that this key idea is mentioned in the first sentence .

(Note: if there’s more than one key idea in the paragraph, you may have a problem. See Point 9 below .)

The topic sentence is the most important sentence for getting your essay paragraph structure right. So, get your topic sentences right and you’re on the right track to a good essay paragraph.

5. You need an Explanation Sentence

All topic sentences need a follow-up explanation. The very first point on this page was that too often students write paragraphs that are too short. To add what is called ‘depth’ to a paragraph, you can come up with two types of follow-up sentences: explanations and examples.

Let’s take explanation sentences first.

Explanation sentences give additional detail. They often provide one of the following services:

Let’s go back to our example of a paragraph on Climate change endangering polar bears. If your topic sentence is “Climate change is endangering polar bears.”, then your follow-up explanation sentence is likely to explain how, why, where, or when. You could say:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing Explanation Sentences 1. How: “The warming atmosphere is melting the polar ice caps.” 2. Why: “The polar bears’ habitats are shrinking every single year.” 3. Where: “This is happening in the Antarctic ice caps near Greenland.” 4. When: “Scientists first noticed the ice caps were shrinking in 1978.”

You don’t have to provide all four of these options each time.

But, if you’re struggling to think of what to add to your paragraph to add depth, consider one of these four options for a good quality explanation sentence.

>>>RELATED ARTICLE: SHOULD YOU USE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS IN ESSAYS ?

6. Your need to Include an Example

Examples matter! They add detail. They also help to show that you genuinely understand the issue. They show that you don’t just understand a concept in the abstract; you also understand how things work in real life.

Example sentences have the added benefit of personalising an issue. For example, after saying “Polar bears’ habitats are shrinking”, you could note specific habitats, facts and figures, or even a specific story about a bear who was impacted.

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing an ‘Example’ Sentence “For example, 770,000 square miles of Arctic Sea Ice has melted in the past four decades, leading Polar Bear populations to dwindle ( National Geographic, 2018 )

In fact, one of the most effective politicians of our times – Barrack Obama – was an expert at this technique. He would often provide examples of people who got sick because they didn’t have healthcare to sell Obamacare.

What effect did this have? It showed the real-world impact of his ideas. It humanised him, and got him elected president – twice!

Be like Obama. Provide examples. Often.

7. All Paragraphs need Citations

Provide a reference to an academic source in every single body paragraph in the essay. The only two paragraphs where you don’t need a reference is the introduction and conclusion .

Let me repeat: Paragraphs need at least one reference to a quality scholarly source .

Let me go even further:

Students who get the best marks provide two references to two different academic sources in every paragraph.

Two references in a paragraph show you’ve read widely, cross-checked your sources, and given the paragraph real thought.

It’s really important that these references link to academic sources, not random websites, blogs or YouTube videos. Check out our Seven Best types of Sources to Cite in Essays post to get advice on what sources to cite. Number 6 w ill surprise you!

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: In-Text Referencing in Paragraphs Usually, in-text referencing takes the format: (Author, YEAR), but check your school’s referencing formatting requirements carefully. The ‘Author’ section is the author’s last name only. Not their initials. Not their first name. Just their last name . My name is Chris Drew. First name Chris, last name Drew. If you were going to reference an academic article I wrote in 2019, you would reference it like this: (Drew, 2019).

Where do you place those two references?

Place the first reference at the end of the first half of the paragraph. Place the second reference at the end of the second half of the paragraph.

This spreads the references out and makes it look like all the points throughout the paragraph are backed up by your sources. The goal is to make it look like you’ve reference regularly when your teacher scans through your work.

Remember, teachers can look out for signposts that indicate you’ve followed academic conventions and mentioned the right key ideas.

Spreading your referencing through the paragraph helps to make it look like you’ve followed the academic convention of referencing sources regularly.

Here are some examples of how to reference twice in a paragraph:

• If your paragraph was six sentences long, you would place your first reference at the end of the third sentence and your second reference at the end of the sixth sentence.
• If your paragraph was five sentences long, I would recommend placing one at the end of the second sentence and one at the end of the fifth sentence.

You’ve just read one of the key secrets to winning top marks.

8. Every Paragraph must be relevant to the Marking Criteria

Every paragraph must win you marks. When you’re editing your work, check through the piece to see if every paragraph is relevant to the marking criteria.

For the British: In the British university system (I’m including Australia and New Zealand here – I’ve taught at universities in all three countries), you’ll usually have a ‘marking criteria’. It’s usually a list of between two and six key learning outcomes your teacher needs to use to come up with your score. Sometimes it’s called a:

• Marking criteria
• Marking rubric
• (Key) learning outcome
• Indicative content

Check your assignment guidance to see if this is present. If so, use this list of learning outcomes to guide what you write. If your paragraphs are irrelevant to these key points, delete the paragraph .

Paragraphs that don’t link to the marking criteria are pointless. They won’t win you marks.

For the Americans: If you don’t have a marking criteria / rubric / outcomes list, you’ll need to stick closely to the essay question or topic. This goes out to those of you in the North American system. North America (including USA and Canada here) is often less structured and the professor might just give you a topic to base your essay on.

If all you’ve got is the essay question / topic, go through each paragraph and make sure each paragraph is relevant to the topic.

For example, if your essay question / topic is on “The Effects of Climate Change on Polar Bears”,

• Don’t talk about anything that doesn’t have some connection to climate change and polar bears;
• Don’t talk about the environmental impact of oil spills in the Gulf of Carpentaria;
• Don’t talk about black bear habitats in British Columbia.
• Do talk about the effects of climate change on polar bears (and relevant related topics) in every single paragraph .

You may think ‘stay relevant’ is obvious advice, but at least 20% of all essays I mark go off on tangents and waste words.

Stay on topic in Every. Single. Paragraph. If you want to learn more about how to stay on topic, check out our essay planning guide .

9. Only have one Key Idea per Paragraph

One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph.

Don’t forget!

Too often, a student starts a paragraph talking about one thing and ends it talking about something totally different. Don’t be that student.

To ensure you’re focussing on one key idea in your paragraph, make sure you know what that key idea is. It should be mentioned in your topic sentence (see Point 3 ). Every other sentence in the paragraph adds depth to that one key idea.

If you’ve got sentences in your paragraph that are not relevant to the key idea in the paragraph, they don’t fit. They belong in another paragraph.

Go through all your paragraphs when editing your work and check to see if you’ve veered away from your paragraph’s key idea. If so, you might have two or even three key ideas in the one paragraph.

You’re going to have to get those additional key ideas, rip them out, and give them paragraphs of their own.

If you have more than one key idea in a paragraph you will lose marks. I promise you that.

The paragraphs will be too hard to read, your reader will get bogged down reading rather than scanning, and you’ll have lost grades.

10. Keep Sentences Short

If a sentence is too long it gets confusing. When the sentence is confusing, your reader will stop reading your work. They will stop reading the paragraph and move to the next one. They’ll have given up on your paragraph.

Short, snappy sentences are best.

Shorter sentences are easier to read and they make more sense. Too often, students think they have to use big, long, academic words to get the best marks. Wrong. Aim for clarity in every sentence in the paragraph. Your teacher will thank you for it.

The students who get the best marks write clear, short sentences.

When editing your draft, go through your essay and see if you can shorten your longest five sentences.

(To learn more about how to write the best quality sentences, see our page on Seven ways to Write Amazing Sentences .)

11. Keep Quotes Short

Eighty percent of university teachers hate quotes. That’s not an official figure. It’s my guestimate based on my many interactions in faculty lounges. Twenty percent don’t mind them, but chances are your teacher is one of the eight out of ten who hate quotes.

Teachers tend to be turned off by quotes because it makes it look like you don’t know how to say something on your own words.

Now that I’ve warned you, here’s how to use quotes properly:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: How To Use Quotes in University-Level Essay Paragraphs 1. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 2. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 3. You should never start a sentence with a quote. 4. You should never end a paragraph with a quote. 5 . You should never use more than five quotes per essay. 6. Your quote should never be longer than one line in a paragraph.

The minute your teacher sees that your quote takes up a large chunk of your paragraph, you’ll have lost marks.

Your teacher will circle the quote, write a snarky comment in the margin, and not even bother to give you points for the key idea in the paragraph.

Avoid quotes, but if you really want to use them, follow those five rules above.

I’ve also provided additional pages outlining Seven tips on how to use Quotes if you want to delve deeper into how, when and where to use quotes in essays. Be warned: quoting in essays is harder than you thought.

Follow the advice above and you’ll be well on your way to getting top marks at university.

Writing essay paragraphs that are well structured takes time and practice. Don’t be too hard on yourself and keep on trying!

Below is a summary of our 11 key mistakes for structuring essay paragraphs and tips on how to avoid them.

I’ve also provided an easy-to-share infographic below that you can share on your favorite social networking site. Please share it if this article has helped you out!

11 Biggest Essay Paragraph Structure Mistakes you’re probably Making

1.  Your paragraphs are too short 2.  Your paragraphs are too long 3.  Your paragraph alignment is ‘Justified’ 4.  Your paragraphs are missing a topic sentence 5 .  Your paragraphs are missing an explanation sentence 6.  Your paragraphs are missing an example 7.  Your paragraphs are missing references 8.  Your paragraphs are not relevant to the marking criteria 9.  You’re trying to fit too many ideas into the one paragraph 10.  Your sentences are too long 11.  Your quotes are too long

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
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4 thoughts on “11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)”

Hello there. I noticed that throughout this article on Essay Writing, you keep on saying that the teacher won’t have time to go through the entire essay. Don’t you think this is a bit discouraging that with all the hard work and time put into your writing, to know that the teacher will not read through the entire paper?

Hi Clarence,

Thanks so much for your comment! I love to hear from readers on their thoughts.

Yes, I agree that it’s incredibly disheartening.

But, I also think students would appreciate hearing the truth.

Behind closed doors many / most university teachers are very open about the fact they ‘only have time to skim-read papers’. They regularly bring this up during heated faculty meetings about contract negotiations! I.e. in one university I worked at, we were allocated 45 minutes per 10,000 words – that’s just over 4 minutes per 1,000 word essay, and that’d include writing the feedback, too!

If students know the truth, they can better write their essays in a way that will get across the key points even from a ‘skim-read’.

I hope to write candidly on this website – i.e. some of this info will never be written on university blogs because universities want to hide these unfortunate truths from students.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Regards, Chris

This is wonderful and helpful, all I say is thank you very much. Because I learned a lot from this site, own by chris thank you Sir.

Thank you. This helped a lot.

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2 Paragraph Essay Examples: Possible Solutions to Global Warming

Published by gudwriter on September 10, 2017 September 10, 2017

2 Paragraph Essay Examples

Before showing you some examples of a 2 paragraph essay (I have three, scroll down to find them), I would like to quickly point out a few things:

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• Two paragraph essay literally contains two body paragraphs with each paragraph containing 4 – 5 sentences. Too many or few can make your paragraph too vague or overwhelming.
• Be economical with words. You don’t want to put unnecessary information that is not relevant to the essay. Be precise and to the point.
• The best structure is to have one main point per paragraph whereby the first sentence introduces the point and the subsequent sentences support the point.
• Having any difficulties, admission essay writers will assist you with any form of essay you may need.

2 Paragraph Essay Outline

Paragraph 1:

• Opening statement (introduce the first main point)
• Supporting facts (support the first main point)

Paragraph 2:

• Opening statement (introduce the second main point. Include transitional words for smooth transition between paragraphs. Some words include also, likewise, additionally. E.g.  Additionally, increasing the adoption of renewable energy could reduce global warming . )
• Supporting facts (support the second main point).
• Concluding statement (summarize your work in one sentence e.g. In conclusion, boosting energy efficiency and adopting renewable energy would reduce global warming.)

Here are two paragraph essay examples on possible solutions to global warming. The 3 essays are double spaced and have been formatted according to APA formatting guidelines .

Possible Solutions to Global Warming -Example 1

Boosting and encouraging use of energy efficiency technologies would lead to reduced energy needs for powering, heating, and cooling of homes, businesses, and industries. This would be effective in reducing global warming as the problem is largely contributed to by the energy used for cooling, heating, and power services in industries, businesses, and homes. In the transportation sector for instance, switching to fuels that are low in carbon, and improving fuel efficiency in terms of miles per gallon would reduce the amount of heat-trapping emissions released into the atmosphere.

Additionally, revving up renewable energy could reduce global warming. The vast majority of energy needs worldwide can be potentially met by such renewable sources of energy as bioenergy, geothermal, wind, and solar energy that apart from reducing pollution, would also create jobs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2012 report, coal-fired power plants produce approximately 25 percent of total U.S. global warming emissions while natural gas-fired power plants produce 6 percent of total emissions. In contrast, most renewable energy sources produce little to no global warming emissions. Conclusively, boosting energy efficiency and adopting renewable energy would reduce global warming.

Dincer, I., Coplan, C. O. & Kadiouglu, F. (2013). Causes, impacts and solutions to global warming. Springer Science & Business Media.

Langholz, J.  & Turner, K. (2008). You can prevent global warming (and save money!): 51 easy ways. Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Lomborg, B. (2010). Smart solutions to climate change: comparing costs and benefits. Cambridge University Press.

Possible Solutions to Global Warming -Example 2

New kinds of geopolitical consensus would ensure that various countries strive to reduce carbon dioxide emissions within their borders. For instance, in 2014, an agreement to combat climate change was signed between the U.S. and China, the two most polluting countries in the world. China agreed to get 20% of its electric power from the sun, wind, fission, and dams. The U.S. promised to enhance its pollution reduction efforts so that the rate of pollution declines by 2% per year (Hawken, 2017).

Additionally, global warming could be reduced through control of methane leaks. Methane is a greenhouse gas that has more global warming effects than even carbon dioxide. Currently, 9% of US greenhouse gas pollution is accounted for by methane (Pittock, 2013). Therefore, within days after their discovery, leaks in methane storage tanks and pipeline as well as other infrastructure should be fixed. Conclusively, global warming would be addressed through new kinds of geopolitical consensus and control of methane leaks.

Hawken, P. (2017). Drawdown: the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming . London, UK: Penguin Publishing Group.

Pittock, A. B. (2013). Climate change: the science, impacts and solutions . New York, NY: Routledge.

Possible Solutions to Global Warming -Example 3

Passing tougher emissions and efficiency standards for cars and power plants would ensure less production of heat-trapping carbon dioxide and smog-forming nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. This may be possible through better hybrid systems of energy production and efficient internal combustion engines. Such electric cars as Tesla Model S, Nissan LEAF, and Chevy Volt can also help here as long as fossil fuels are not the source of electricity that powers them. The US is already implementing strict high emissions reduction standards for power plants, reducing pollution by 10% since 2005 (Dincer, Colpan & Kadioglu, 2013).

Additionally, global warming could be reduced through greener farming. Farmers could reduce greenhouse emissions through precision agriculture whereby crops are grown efficiently. Farms could also provide energy crops for producing biofules. The amount of carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere could be drawn down by such fuels from plants (Pittock, 2013). In conclusion, tougher emissions and efficiency standards and greener farming would possibly solve global warming.

Dincer, I., Colpan, C. O., & Kadioglu, F. (2013). Causes, impacts and solutions to global warming . Berlin: Springer Science & Business Media.

How to Write a two Paragraph Essay

A two-paragraph essay is a brief piece of writing that explains ideas in a few words. The article is popular among junior scholars or during examinations. While some questions require detailed, lengthy answers, this essay needs you to explain your details in less than two paragraphs.

A large number of students find this challenging. Condensing ideas to make one small, brief and straightforward piece requires proper planning, organization, and economization of language. So, how can you write a compelling 2-paragraph essay? Well, below, I have come up with the perfect guide on how to get all your ideas in two simple parts.

The Structure

The essay contains 2 paragraphs only, and; they must bear the intended meaning. If you want to come up with the perfect article you must, therefore, know the topic well. You could research prior to writing down the piece.

Then, you require laying out a plan on how to fit your ideas into the two paragraphs. This means that you may have to choose two strong points that supersede the rest. Each section should contain a well-explained idea. So, below is the paragraph structure.

As is the case with all essays, you must have a title at the beginning of your work. This helps the readers to understand what the content is about. Be sure to make the headline bold, explicit and concise. Then, use the paragraphs to explain the title.

Topic Statement

What idea are you planning to write about? This should be an opening statement that captures the content of the sentences in the paragraph. It should also provide an answer to the main title. In most cases, it is a logical explanation of the claims presented in the title.

Supportive Points

The supportive sentences should follow the topic statement. They should offer details about the point raised in the first sentence. Thus, this is the excellent place for you to use your factual data to prove why the topic statement is valid. You can have four or five supportive sentences to back up your idea.

Concluding Statement

You will need to conclude your paragraph by affirming to the audience why the topic statement is valid as per the facts you have provided. If it is the first paragraph, you should also use the last sentence as a transition to the next paragraph. But, if it is the second, then you must use a conclusive statement to sign off the article.

Acknowledgements

After you finish writing the essay, remember to acknowledge the sources of the information provided in your work. Reference your work appropriately, as this makes it credible.

Additional Tips on How to Make a 2 Paragraph Essay

Organization.

Be sure to present an organized essay. To do this, you should have a plan on how to write. For instance, you can write a rough outline of the ideas and supportive statements. This helps reduce unwanted repetition.

Entertaining

The rule of the thumb of writing anything is to grab the reader’s attention. If your work is well organized, it will have a smooth flow. Relevance and style keeps the audience yearning for more.

Use transitions

To attain a smooth flow, you need to make good use of transitions. For instance, you can use ‘first, secondly or then’ to show that you are introducing another point. This ensures you don’t get the reader confused.

Be economical with words, and well loaded with information. To do this, you need to have the audience in mind. Don’t go overboard trying to overwhelm the readers with unnecessary info. Also, explain your ideas thoroughly to avoid leaving the audience guessing.

Expert Support

If you run into a dead-end while writing your two paragraph essay, feel free to browse our homework help online services and find the right tutor to show you the right way.

A two paragraph essay is popular in elementary and mid-schools. But, many professors also test it at advanced levels when they want students to provide a brief explanation of concepts. Brevity and sticking to the topic are the golden rules of writing a good 2 paragraph essay. Remember to incorporate a good style and editing skills, too.

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Home » University Of Virginia » How Do You Write A Two Paragraph Essay?

How Do You Write A Two Paragraph Essay?

Table of Contents

How to Get the Knack of Writing a 2 Paragraph Essay

• Skip an introduction and go straight to the point — or make your introduction no longer than one sentence.
• Write at least 3-5 sentences in each paragraph.
• Don’t forget about the paragraph structure.
• Be sure to use transitions.

How do you start a paragraph 2 in an essay?

Begins with a topic sentence that:

• States the main point of the paragraph.
• Relates to the THESIS STATEMENT. B. After the topic sentence, you need to fill the paragraph with well-organized details, facts, and examples. C.
• Relates to the THESIS STATEMENT.

Can an essay be 2 paragraphs?

There is no firm rule that says an essay needs to have a set number of paragraphs, but an essay must be a minimum of three paragraphs .

How do you write a good two paragraph?

5 Tips for Structuring and Writing Better Paragraphs

• Make the first sentence of your topic sentence.
• Provide support via the middle sentences.
• Make your last sentence a conclusion or transition.
• Know when to start a new paragraph.
• Use transition words.

How many sentence is a 2 paragraph?

There’s often a lot of confusion, but if you’re looking for a general answer to the question, “How many sentences in a paragraph?” the answer is there are 3 to 8 sentences in a paragraph. The important key to take away from this answer is that it’s a rule-of-thumb.

What is a 2 body paragraph?

Topic Sentence (always the first sentence in your body paragraph) – It introduces your readers to your second example. In body paragraph #2, state the second point in support of the thesis . For example, your topic sentence for body #2 could read, “Music almost always helps students to relax in school.”

How do you start a paragraph example?

Strong Introduction Paragraph Examples

• Use a Surprising Fact. You can capture the reader’s attention with a surprising fact or statement.
• Pose a Question.
• Start With an Anecdote.
• Set the Stage.
• State Your Point Clearly.
• Start With Something Shocking.
• Use a Statistic.
• Get Personal.

What are the example of paragraph?

What is an example of a paragraph? A good example of a paragraph contains a topic sentence, details and a conclusion . ‘There are many different kinds of animals that live in China. Tigers and leopards are animals that live in China’s forests in the north.

How long is an essay in 7th grade?

500 to 700 words Grade 7: Writing Purposes In seventh grade, students write to express, discover, record, develop, reflect on ideas, and to problem solve, and produce texts of at least 500 to 700 words .

How do I write an essay?

Tips for effective writing

• Start writing early —the earlier the better.
• Keep the essay question in mind.
• Don’t try to write an essay from beginning to end, especially not in a single sitting.
• Write the introduction and conclusion after the body.
• Use ‘signpost’ words in your writing.
• Integrate your evidence carefully.

How long should 2 paragraphs be?

Various educators teach rules governing the length of paragraphs. They may say that a paragraph should be 100 to 200 words long, or be no more than five or six sentences. But a good paragraph should not be measured in characters, words, or sentences. The true measure of your paragraphs should be ideas.

How do you start your essay?

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

How do you start a paragraph in an essay?

The introductory paragraph of any paper, long or short, should start with a sentence that piques the interest of your readers . In a typical essay, that first sentence leads into two or three more sentences that provide details about your subject or your process. All of these sentences build up to your thesis statement.

What are 5 sentences examples?

5 sentences:

• My mom taught me to finish everything on my plate at dinner.
• The only problem with a pencil, is that they do not stay sharp long enough.
• Our school building is made of bricks.
• Every night I get woken up by the sound of a barking dog across the street.
• Salad is for rabbits.

Can 2 sentences be a paragraph?

Can a paragraph have 2 sentences? Yes, a paragraph can indeed have 2 sentences , and this is quite common on the internet, particularly for mobile readers. However, strictly speaking it shouldn’t be considered a paragraph because a 2 sentence paragraph doesn’t convey much information.

How many lines is a paragraph?

There is often a lot of confusion, but if you are looking for a general answer to the question, “How many sentences are there in a paragraph?” The answer is that there are 3 to 8 lines in a paragraph. The important key to this answer is that it is a golden rule.

What words do you use to start a paragraph?

Linking words and phrases weave sentences together to create a cohesive paragraph. Sequence.

What is the second paragraph of an essay called?

What is an introduction paragraph ? The second paragraph of your essay that introduces the main topic. The fifth paragraph of your essay that introduces the main topic. The first paragraph of your essay that introduces the main topic.

How many paragraphs is an essay?

The basic format for an essay is known as the five paragraph essay – but an essay may have as many paragraphs as needed. A five paragraph essay contains five paragraphs. However, the essay itself consists of three sections: an introduction, a body and a conclusion.

What is a good sentence starter for an essay?

Below is a list of possible sentence starters, transitional and other words that may be useful. This essay discusses … … is explored … … is defined … The definition of … will be given … is briefly outlined … … is explored …

Whats a good opening sentence?

Start with the chase. A good hook might also be a question or a claim—anything that will elicit an emotional response from a reader. Think about it this way: a good opening sentence is the thing you don’t think you can say, but you still want to say . Like, “This book will change your life.”

By Cary Hardy

Hi there! I'm Cary Hardy, an education expert and consultant. I've worked with students of all ages and backgrounds, and I love helping them unlock their full potential. I'm also a big believer in lifelong learning- there's always something new to learn!

I got my start in education as a teacher, working with students in grades K-12. After several years of teaching, I transitioned into the world of educational consulting. I've since worked with schools and districts all over the country, helping them improve their curriculums and instruction methods.

I'm passionate about helping people achieve their dreams, and I believe that education is the key to unlocking everyone's potential. Thanks for reading!

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Are uva classes hard, is uva a dry campus, is it easier to get into uva early action.

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How to Write a Two Page Essay Quickly

Last Updated: October 10, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Callaghan, PhD . Megan Morgan is an Academic Advising and Writing expert based in Augusta, Georgia. She has over 7 years of university teaching experience and more than 15 years of professional editing experience. She works as an intern for the Law Library of Congress, and is also a Professional Writing Center Consultant at Augusta University. Her key academic interests involve reference and subject librarianship, government information, and information organization. She provides personalized writing instruction, workshops, and support for AU students, faculty, and staff. Previously, she worked as a Graduate Program Administrator at the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs. She was a Graduate Advisor for three degrees in the departments of Political Science and International Affairs at the University of Georgia College of Arts and Sciences. She earned her Master’s in Library and Information Science from Valdosta State University. She also received both a PhD and MA in English from The University of Georgia, and a BA in English and Creative Writing from the Mississippi University for Women. She wrote her PhD dissertation on narrative structure and social change in novels by 18th-century British women writers. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 104,032 times.

Writing a two page essay can be a daunting task. After all, writing takes specific skills and a lot of practice. If you are well-organized and have a specific plan, it can be done both successfully and quickly. College students, high school students, and people in most professions have to write from time to time (or every day). For many people, writing can be stressful. It helps to have a system in place to help make the process as efficient (and painless) as possible.

Getting Organized

• If your instructor has given you a clear prompt, decide now how you will approach the question. For example, if the given assignment is "Write an essay on the women's movement. Was it successful?", you will need to decide which side you are going to take. Once you narrow your focus, your essay will be much easier to organize.
• If you have a much broader assignment, it will be up to you to focus your topic. For example, if your assignment is "Write about something that interests you", you will not want to make the topic of your essay "Sports," especially for a short two-page essay. Choose a very specific topic, such as "Tailgating in the American South."

• It's unlikely that you will need further research for a two-page paper, but if you aren't sure about the requirements, ask your teacher.

Drafting Your Essay

• For example, if you're supposed to write a two-page essay about something that interests you, think about who your audience is (and how much explaining you'll have to do), what is the most relevant information, and why your topic is interesting to you.
• Branching is another technique you can use while creating your thesis. Try to imagine your topic as a tree. Write your basic idea in the middle of your paper, and then "branch" out from there, adding ideas and thoughts to your central topic.
• Another approach to try is brainstorming. To do this, write down anything and everything you know or need to know about your topic. Don't edit yourself, just get some thoughts down on paper. Once you can see your ideas, they will start to take shape. It's often helpful to do this before you try to write a formal outline, as you'll have a better idea of what you want to cover.

• For example, if you were writing an essay about college sports, a poor thesis would be, "College sports are very controversial in many ways." This is too vague, and it does not clearly take a position to argue. It will leave your reader wondering what argument you are making in your essay.
• An example of a strong thesis for the same topic might be, "College athletes should be paid a salary for playing their sport." This is more successful because it indicates the topic you will address. It's also limited enough that you can adequately discuss it in a two-page paper.

• You don't necessarily need to do a formal outline to start with. Brainstorming or making a list-type outline, where you list out ideas that are related to your topic without putting them in a specific order, can help you know what you want to write about.
• Once you have listed the ideas that support your thesis, you'll have a better sense of how to organize them.

• Note that not all teachers prefer or even accept this type of thesis, which is often referred to as a "multi-prong" or "three-prong" thesis. However, this type of thesis is often appropriate for very short writing assignments such as a two-page essay. If you're not sure what your teacher's preferences are, ask before you begin writing.
• It's helpful to list specific examples in your outline, so that you know what evidence you have for each point. This can also be helpful to show you whether you have gaps or imbalances in your approach. For example, do you have just one example for one point, but three for another point? It would be better to use roughly the same number of examples per point, or even see if the less-supported point could be incorporated elsewhere.

• One type of citation is known as parenthetical documentation. For this method, you provide information about the source within the text of your essay. An example of this would be, "Brown argues that Einstein's theory of relativity is the most important scholarly achievement of the twentieth century (292)." The name Brown refers to the author of the book in this example, and 292 is the page number where this information is found. There are different ways to cite various sources, so make sure you know how to properly credit all of the sources you plan to use. [1] X Research source
• Sometimes you may be asked to use footnotes or endnotes. While less common in brief essays, some teachers and bosses prefer them. Footnotes and endnotes include more thorough information about the source used. Often, when they replace parenthetical documentation, a Works Cited page is not required. [2] X Research source

Writing Your Essay

• Make sure that each body paragraph has a topic sentence . This sentence makes it clear to your reader what each paragraph is about. For example, if you were writing an essay about the labor force during World War II, you might say, "Women were an important part of the workforce in World War II because they learned new jobs that were previously reserved only for men."
• Include specific supporting examples in each body paragraph. For instance, if you were writing an essay about the labor force during World War II, you might say, "Many women became welders during World War II, which illustrates that gender roles in the workplace were changing."

• Start off with a broad contextual statement, but don't make it so broad as to have no relevance. Statements that begin like "Throughout history" or "In modern society" are "fluff" statements and don't provide any real context for your argument.
• A good way to think of your introduction is as an inverted pyramid. Start with the broad statement that sets the scene, and then narrow down until you reach your thesis.
• Include your thesis statement at the end of the conclusion.
• Spend some time on your first sentence. It should be interesting and grab the attention of your reader. Try starting with a fascinating example or an exciting quotation.
• Use your conclusion to tie together the strands of your argument. In some cases, such as persuasive essays , it's appropriate to include a call to action. You can also return to an anecdote or theme you brought up in the introduction to give your paper great symmetry.

• Watch out for the passive voice. Beginning writers often use the passive voice because it's wordier, which may be mistaken for "fancier." Here's an example of the passive voice: "It is believed by many that today's growing social violence is being caused by video games." Be verbs are often signs of passive voice. Reword it actively this way: "Many people blame video games for today's growing social violence." This is a clear grammatical order: People (subject) blame (verb) video games (direct object).
• Avoid wordy constructions such as "It is believed that" or "This is suggestive of that." You can communicate these ideas more clearly and concisely: "People believe that" or "This suggests that."

• Some short essays may be more appropriate in the first-person, using "I." If you've been assigned to write a personal or persuasive essay, the first-person voice is often more personal and effective than using third-person.
• Aim for parallel structure in sentences. Often, sentences end up sounding clunky if you ignore parallel structure. For example: "Paying college athletes is more important than to give them scholarships." Convert the infinitive "to give" to the gerund form "giving" for parallelism: "Paying college athletes is more important than giving them scholarships."

• Here are some examples of transition words: similarly, in comparison, as a result, otherwise. During the editing process, you can try using several variations to see which best fits your style of writing. [8] X Research source

Editing Your Essay

• Be aware that the "grammar check" in word processors is often incorrect about issues, and may even suggest changes that make your writing incorrect. Don't rely only on technology.

• There are several methods for creating a title. One idea is to begin your title with a question, such as "How..." or "Why...". Another method is to choose a specific example that occurs within your paper and use that as a starting point for your title. [10] X Research source

Community Q&A

• Take a break if you need to. Writing takes a lot of practice! Ask for help if you need it, and just keep practicing and editing. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/basic-principles/parenthetical-versus-narrative
• ↑ https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/documentation-guide/chicago-style/footnotes-and-endnotes
• ↑ https://writingcenter.uagc.edu/body-paragraphs
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/introductions/
• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines
• ↑ https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/sites/default/files/2021-05/accs_elements-and-structure-of-an-essay_rev2016.pdf
• ↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/list-transition-words.html
• ↑ https://researchguides.uic.edu/c.php?g=252299&p=1683205
• ↑ https://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/titles.pdf

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