1. The Expository Essay
What to Know

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

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

4. 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

5. 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)

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

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

11. 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.

12. 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.