The Expository Essay What to Know

Activity 1: At the Movies Write down as many different types of movie genres as you can in 1 minute.

What Types Did You Think Of? Action Romance Horror Drama Suspense Comedy Animated

At the Movies, Part 2 Using your list of movie categories, write down as many examples of the different genres as you can. For example: Science Fiction – Star Wars

What to Know Before Writing an Expository Essay The difference between general and specific topics Good organizational strategies How to write a thesis sentence (topic sentence)

Types of Expository Essays Cause and Effect Compare and Contrast Descriptive Process Narration Problem and Solution

Cause and Effect The cause and effect essay shows the relationship between an action and a result. (Very similar to Newton’s Law: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction) Example: Running a red light might help to cause an accident, though other facts -- pedestrians or other cars in the intersection -- must also be present.

Compare and Contrast This essay compares the relevant similarities and differences between two people, places, things, or ideas. Example: Although the Twilight characters Edward Cullen and Jacob Black may seem very different, they have more in common than either one realizes.

Descriptive A descriptive essay describes the characteristics of something. Example: While the controls of a 747 aircraft may look complicated, they all help the flight crew do one thing: maintain a controlled flight in a given direction.

Process Narration Explains how an event unfolds, usually in chronological order.

Problem and Solution This essay is a special type of descriptive writing that discusses a problem and potential solutions. This sort of writing is good in business environments, especially sales.

Writing a Topic Sentence You will need a partner for this activity. Write a topic sentence for EACH type of expository writing: cause and effect, compare and contrast, descriptive, process narration, and problem and solution. The sentences must be narrow and specific. Be prepared to share them with the class when you are done.