ESSAY WRITING LEARNING AND STUDY TECHNIQUES ( PART I1) THE FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY

By : ABIDAH BT SARAJUL HAQ , English Language Excellent Teacher, Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman , Ipoh

TIPS AND TECHNIQUES As a teacher , my sole concern will be to find ways on how to improve my students essay writing skills. In this issue I would like to share some ideas that I find useful to practice . Writing a good five paragraph essay requires one to master the format of this kind of essay. What is required for writing a good five- paragraph essay is the same as writing any good piece of writing but in this case the format has to be exact. Since writing is a form of communication , you must always remember that the goal is to become clear, concise and unified so that the reader can follow along and appreciate your piece of writing and flow of thought. The five- paragraph essay is indeed a great tool for learning and communicating at all levels. Here are some ideas that are helpful when writing the above essay :

1. A five paragraph essay consists of

an introduction ( one paragraph) body of contents ( three paragraphs) a conclusion ( one paragraph)

2. Writing the Introductory Paragraph

This is the most important part of the essay writing process as you are grabbing the readers attention by informing him or her the main points of your essay. Spend time learning to write this well. A poor impression often turns off the reader or the examiner. You have to grab the readers attention with interest and clarity. Choose a topic which you know quite well. Brainstorm for ideas , then jot them down and arrange them in order. You may give a definition, a quotation, proverb or a general statement of the topic. REMEMBER : The introduction should be short comprising of a few sentences.

3.

Writing the Body of an Essay

You need to write THREE paragraphs in this kind of essay. A paragraph is a group of sentences that is linked to relate ideas. The sentences should be varied and do not use the same dull sentence structures. Be sure that there is a flow of ideas in your paragraphs and these are connected and in sequence. Each paragraph should made up of a topic sentence and supporting details. You must provide a transition between one paragraph to the next paragraph so that the reader sees that there is a link or connection and can anticipate what is coming next. REMEMBER : the most important sentence in a paragraph is the first sentence ( topic sentence) which informs us of the main idea in the paragraph and the last sentence in each paragraph summarises what had been said earlier in the paragraph.

4. Writing the Conclusion

You have to restate what had been said in the three paragraphs. The introductory paragraph becomes a strong guide for writing the conclusion or summary paragraph. You must summarise effectively Practice writing conclusions for a while. Sometimes you find that you have developed a style that is good and impressive . REMEMBER : These are the last thoughts you will leave with the reader/ examiner. Make them the best that you can.

Some Ending Thoughts ..

Practice writing one supporting paragraph and evaluate, revise and edit it. As with the introductory paragraph, this process and format becomes easier to follow as you practice. The same goes with the other structured paragraphs. Do each section at a time to practice. Have someone to look at your product. If possible give some comments as this will help you to improve further. Use the checklist that I have given in the last issue to monitor the editing process. If you have done all these , youll be amazed at how good and unified you ideas have been. Remember it does not happen overnight. Practice and evaluate your own piece of writing . Revise and reread. Progress is the most important product. It usually does not come without a lot of effort. The five- paragraph essay is a good introduction to patterned writing. It is the basis for much writing that is done in school and later life. Mastering this form is essential. Developing good writers requires regular and frequent practice. As Swami Sivananda said Put your heart, mind, intellect and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success. Good Luck.