How to write a five paragraph essay

I wrote an essay which consisted of 5 short paragraphs. But my teacher sent it back to me, saying that the structure is wrong and I need a thesis statement and introduction, conclusion, topic sentences. Please help I have no idea how to write this thesis statement. Isn’t it the same as a topic sentence?

6 Answers

  1. The structure of a 5 paragraph essay should be as follows:

    1. Introduction (briefly introduces the topic and ends with a strong thesis statement, expressing your central claim).
    2. Main body – first paragraph.
    3. Main body – second paragraph.
    4. Main body – third paragraph.
    5. Conclusion (briefly repeats the main points and echoes the thesis statement).
  1. Pay special attention to a thesis statement – this central idea of the essay should be placed in the end of the introduction part (one or two sentences). Avoid including the ‘this paper will discuss’ part (unless it is requested by your teacher). A thesis statement should be an arguable claim.

    A bad example: Smoking is bad for your health (huh, who cares? It is a fact and a reader will read it and exclaim ‘so what?’)

    A good example: A ban on smoking in public places reduces the risks of second hand smoking and can decrease smoking addiction in non-heavy cases.

  1. Thesis statement is not the same as topic sentence. Thesis statement is the central claim placed at the end of the introduction, while a topic sentence should be at the beginning of every paragraph.

  1. I agree with the previous answer. Topic sentences are truly important. Every body paragraph should have a sandwich structure.

    First bun – a topic sentence, introducing the central idea of the paragraph.

    Filling – all the arguments, developing the central idea.

    Second bun – a concluding sentence, which summarizes what has been said in the paragraph and sends you back to the topic sentence.

  1. Don’t forget the transitions between the paragraphs. They make your essay flow. There’s nothing worse than jumping from one idea to the next one, without making any connections between them, like a stream of consciousness technique.

    Okay, not making transitions is second only to making a half of your essay one big illogical paragraph.

    Good luck with your paper. If the problem is with the structure, but not content, you’ll easily fix it.

  1. Writing a five paragraph essay is a test of your creative writing abilities and a chance to prove your skill at the same.

    A great way to start writing a five paragraph essay is to condense the information and the contents into five short paragraphs without losing the meaning that the essay has to convey. Though this may sound difficult, writing a 5 paragraph essay need not be tough provided you are lucid and have a good grasp of the topic that you are writing on.

    When writing a five paragraph essay, it is better to stick to the topic and avoid deviations from the topic sentence. This would ensure that you can fit in all that you want. Further, the central thesis of the essay must not be forgotten. This would ensure that you get the most out of the limited space.

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