essay part 3 story

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Thursday, June 26, 2014

46 good spm english model essays / free essay samples for o-level, ielts, toefl & muet writing.

46 Model Essay Samples for SPM English, O-level, IELTS, TOEFL & MUET Writing

        descriptive essays.

• My Best Friend
• Describe an afternoon at the bus station
• A Horrifying Swim
• A Prominent Malaysian Leader
• A Demonic Gold
• My Favourite TV Programme
• The Night Market

Narrative Essays

• A Horror / Tragic Story
• Finally, A Voice Message
• That is the reward for my patience and hardwork
• A Holiday I Would Never Forget
• Couple Foils Robbery Attempt
• Write a story starting with: “The widow had to work hard to bring up her little son alone...”
• My Most Embarrassing Situation
• A Road Accident
• Autumn on Sugarbush Street
• Of Bombs and Ice-Cream

Argumentative / Persuasive Essays

• Haze: A Danger to Health
• Cell phones - One of Our Greatest Technologies Misused
• Importance of Studying English

Reflective Essays

• Are undergraduates ready for the real world?
• Does School Prepare Us for Life
• What would you do if you had a lot of money

Factual Essays

• Social Networking Website

Directed Writing

• Anti-Smoking Campaign Speech
• Informal Letter
• Informal Letter Sample
• Formal Letter: Letter of Application
• Formal Letter: Letter of Complain
• Complain Report About School Canteen
• Book Report
• Police Report on Accident

48 comments:

Is there any chinese language essay?? can recommend??

lol u retarded?

Why are you so mean? Which part of it is retarded?

Maybe he lack of attention in his life

Dude, there are really chinese essay in spm. What's wrong with you guys

Are you lost mate? This webpage is for english essays, not chinese retard

Cmon he just asking if theres any chinese language essay... nothing wrong with it... sorry i think u are the one who is retarded here... no one r supporting ya...

what is naratif composition

Lol retarded 9 yr olds hating over a single question

WTH????? He is just asking. FGS he is not even asking u man..That question were asked to the admin. Pls just mind your own bussiness..

Senyap ar semua

Ahaha. Retarded indeed.

Ni nk buat rujukan ke gaduh?

Spm around the bout

guys i think,personally that this site helps you a lot in your studies.Amazing essays which are wonderfull

This is a fabulous site , helps me a lot😍

hey there.. im just here looking through the comments

i honestly thought that no one gonna be on this blog in 2021

bunch of pointless people arguing about an idiot

The test score works as a proof of their language proficiency and knowledge. Finding the Best TOEFL Coaching it self is a task because the objective of TOEFL classes is to give you interactive examples of TOEFL test questions.

Good Work for English learnes

This is important to remember while you are browsing IELTS or TOEFL preparation course, if you are planning on applying for citizenship or collage and intend to use your results as an entry requirement.

klau tuk repeat bi spm ngan st ada x ?

After attemting for my IELTS five times I had to get professional help and nothing like enrolling in Insearch I had an amazing support team that helped me clear and achieve my required target.

The MBA is a master's degree in business administration which helps people attain a better understanding of the scientific approach in management.

With such programs it will be more easy for the students to get the good writing ideas and the techniques, looking forward to most important among them.

Transferring to a four year university may actually be a cheaper way to get a high quality education. This article provides tips for students who wish to transfer in.

That's really huge list of sample essays for students those need to write essay and facing difficulties. I am sure that will be very helpful for students studying in various level.

To be honest All the 46 Model essays are uncomparable to the O level English Standard. In fact,writing such a essay in o level english will guarantee a fail

Woah,these essays are actually good for SPM level. Seeing this comment,I wonder how am I going to survive after SPM with my own level of English. HUhu..T-T

totally useful for me

thank you much for the God's sake who had done this blog :) You pretty had aid me much in essays

thanks for the essay samples! I was struggling what I want to write about for my mid term examination.. But not anymore :)

Hey I would like to get in touch with you about publishing one of my articles here? Any way to do that??

Click here for email address to submit your article.

Thank you for sharing. This is a good material for the development of creative thought. I'm writing an essay for more than five years. Sometimes creative crisis comes. In this moment you need to distract yourself with other thoughts. Good luck to all with essay writing.

Oh, thanks! It is very useful information! Right now I have to write an essay. But I haven't decided yet will I write it alone or with the help of this writing service.

Thank you for the useful samples of the essay. But if we are talking about the uniqueness of I prefer this service. Cuz the professionals guarantee the quality of written works. In addition, I like the price and the system of discounts. So I advise you!

Do you have any doubts on the result of online writing service? Visit us and learn more about our reliable writing service and eliminate all the fears you have. Take professional help and relax!

Any spm 2020 candidates here?. How's your life going?. Mine is cursed

Same and im goin through mid year exams rn...smh

Me, a 12 year old that wants to write longer than the word limit in primary school: wow, this is cool

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WRITING AN ARTICLE

PART 3 : WRITING AN ARTICLE

Sample question & answer:.

1 MURID 1 NOTA KECIL SAHABATKU

How to Score Essay writing for SPM English 2021

25 March 2021

7 minutes to read

• 01. Read, Read, Read for SPM Essay Writing
• 02. Understanding SPM Essay Questions and the Writing Format
• 03. Writing Tips for SPM Essay Writing
• 04. How to Answer Your SPM Essay Writing Paper
• 05. Get Help From SPM Essay Writing Expert

I believe most students often turn away from writing essays. This is the hardest part for us non-native English speakers. However, essay writing is the most common form of assessment in any subject at the school and university level. How do you think you will survive in your journey of seeking knowledge?

You will soon find out that there are even essay questions in mathematics. What? Trust me, essays will be applied across almost all disciplines. Essentially, writing an essay is one of the academic pieces to gather the writer’s point of view or simply to know the depth of understanding in certain concepts that would only suffice by an explanation.

The student would be assessed on their comprehension of the topics by assigning an essay writing task to them. But writing an essay is not hard if you know how to decode or analyze the question well.

At the end of the article, you will be able to have more confidence in your writing.

Click here for the latest English Paper marking scheme here .

Read, Read, Read for SPM Essay Writing

I know reading has never been one of the Malaysian cultures and habits. Currently, the statistics of reading in Malaysia per person is only 6 books a year. This is not a good number. However, you as a youth, the new generation of Malaysia, can change this perception.

Reading is a better way after traveling to know about the world. When you are absorbed in reading, you’ll be able to learn so many things. The only way to increase your vocabulary is through reading and seldomly through communication. You can also improve your grammar and sentence construction through reading.

If you only depend on communication, that won’t help you a lot due to the broken English that is widely used in Malaysia. Not to mention, our favorite type of English, ‘ Rojak English’ or “Manglish” . You can only obtain confidence in speaking but not the writing styles and perfect tenses.

Come and let me show you how to understand further on the SPM Latest 2021 format and tips of writing SPM Bahasa Inggeris (1119/2) Paper 2.

Understanding SPM Essay Questions and the Writing Format

All SPM examination papers are regulated by the Ministry of Education (MOE) In all examinations, reading and understanding the question’s need is very important. Most students tend to deviate from the main ideas of the question due to their lack of ability to understand the question properly.

Most questions can be divided into 3 major parts, directive words, content words, and limiting words.

Discuss the difference between two idols that you like according to the nature of work.

The bold ‘ Discuss’ is the directive or instructional word that you need to follow. Another example of directive words can be, compare and contrast, critical evaluation, reflection, discussion and etc.

The word to limit the scope is the italic ‘difference’, ‘two idols’, and ‘you like’ . The question specifically asks you to write about the particular purposes whether time, place, person, or demographic.

The content words are the underlined ‘nature of work’. This is the subject of your essay that you will need to discuss. The content word can be very narrow or broad depending on the cases.

Once you have understood the question, you will need to determine the format of the essay to be written. There are many different types of continuous writing for SPM English paper such as,

• Story with purpose
• Usually, first-person but can be the third person too
• Explain, illustrate, describe
• Written in a debate format
• Can be first person or third person
• Thoughtful, reasoning
• Describing information
• Written in the first person

Meanwhile, the format and types of directed writing for the SPM English Paper are listed below.

• Letter (Informal or formal)
• Informative letter
• Talk or speech

Writing Tips for SPM Essay Writing

Drafting for spm essay writing.

As a student, we always thought that drafting is such a waste of time. But, NO! Drafting will allow you to manage your writing well. So you will know that you have your main ideas, supporting reasons, and examples constructed well in a paragraph.

During the examination, you do not need to make a proper, colorful, and complicated draft just like you learned in class. You just need to scribble on the question paper regarding the ideas. This is when you should adopt the concept of 5 wives and a husband. Remember?

Essay Construction for SPM Essay Writing

While constructing your essay, you will need to bear in mind that you would want to reduce the mistakes and not waste time. This is why you will need to refer to the essay draft that you have made. Make sure you have a good construction of the essay complete with an introduction, main ideas, and conclusion.

You should use a simple word to construct your sentences. You can use jargon or complicated word but make sure it’s not more than 3 words. Why? This is to minimize the risk of a misunderstanding from the marker who perhaps does not know the word and you might lose some marks there. Besides, the chances for you to use it wrongly is very high too as you rarely use the word.

Next, make sure your writing is neat. This is very important not only for the examiner but also for yourself to easily spot your spelling mistakes. Moreover, take note of your grammars, especially the tenses. Make sure it is consistent.

Last but not least, DO NOT OVERWRITE your essay. Try to minimize the words that you use but exceed the word requirements. Remember the more sentences you write, the higher the chances are for you to make more mistakes. So, keep your writing minimal and you can reduce the chances of you losing more marks.

Time Management for SPM Essay Writing

You need to set a proper and reasonable time for you to complete answering your SPM Paper 2 in writing an essay. Remember that you will only have 90 minutes to answer a total of 3 questions.

• First Questions – 80 words
• Second Questions – 120 – 150 words
• Third Questions – 200-250 words

As I have said in the previous part, keep your writing minimal so as to avoid making more mistakes. So here, you have a total of 480 words (I counted the maximum words you will need to write as a buffer), and you have only 90 minutes to finish your writing.

Let us do some math.

• First Questions - 90 minutes divide by  480 and multiply with 80 = 15 minutes
• Second Questions – 90 minutes divide by 480 and multiply with 150 = 28 minutes
• Third Questions – 90 minutes divide by 480 and multiply with 250 = 47 minutes

So, from the math above, we know the allocation of the time needed to answer all three questions. However, you will also need to remember that you should always proofread your answer. Thus, you would need to spend at least 10 minutes on that.

How to Answer Your SPM Essay Writing Paper

Let me show you how to draft your essay.

Bahasa Inggeris (1119/2) - Kertas 2

Answer one of the questions 3 – 5 in this part. Make sure your writing is between 200 – 250 words with the appropriate format according to the question. Place the question number in the box at the top of the answer sheet.

Article Wanted

My School Canteen

• What types of food would you like to be served at the canteen?
• What kind of special facilities should your canteen have?
• How can you improve your school canteen?

Write us an article answering these questions.

The best article will be displayed in the school magazine.

Identify the format of the essays and how many words you should write. Then you will need to set a reasonable time to write the draft, writing and proofread (checking).

• Format: Article
• Length: 200-250 words
• Draft – 5 minutes
• Writing – 30 minutes
• Proofread – 5 minutes

Start to draft.

• Introduction: 10 % of the writing

Where is your school located,

How student like/dislike current food sold at the canteen,

Why is it important to have good food

• Main Ideas: 80 % of the writing

What kind of foods would you like to be served? Why? Who will get the benefit? Or What?

What special facilities should your canteen have? Why? How to implement it?

How can you improve your canteen? Why? Who should take charge?

• Conclusion: 10 % of the writing

Wrap up the essay. What and Why students need a good canteen and food to be served. Give a final recommendation.

Find out more on  How to Get A in SPM 2021 English .

Get Help From SPM Essay Writing Expert

If you are still confused and lack confidence in writing your essay, you can always find help from an expert. Take a look at the SPM English Format and SPM Past Papers to understand further what is the exact SPM format, SPM Example Questions, and where you can score and improve.

Besides, go and find your teacher. They are the most expert as the 2021 SPM Latest Marking Scheme shows that 3 over 4 of SPM English papers will be marked internally. Therefore, you should start to do good for your teachers!

Nonetheless, if all the above is still not enough for you, you can contact Superprof essay writing expert. All of them have excellent track of experience and high records at providing guidance to students for over a decade!

I sincerely hope that all the tips above will help you achieve a good result in your essay writing!

All the best.

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Alia Jamaludin

Alia Jamaludin is known as a passionate environmentalist and animal lover. By being both educator and writer, she can reach out her positive thought to almost every being on this planet.

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How many marks are deducted if didnt follow the format? For instance, we forgot to write the title for article essay for part 3 of paper 2.

this really helps me, thank you so much, may Allah bless you always for sharing the knowledge :)

thankyou for sharing this useful tips ! may allah bless you always <3

thank you for sharing this useful tips !

How to write a story, choice no 3?

thank you sharing the knowledge ❤️, its really help me. Doakan saya straight A’s

The Ultimate Narrative Essay Guide for Beginners

A narrative essay tells a story in chronological order, with an introduction that introduces the characters and sets the scene. Then a series of events leads to a climax or turning point, and finally a resolution or reflection on the experience.

Speaking of which, are you in sixes and sevens about narrative essays? Don’t worry this ultimate expert guide will wipe out all your doubts. So let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Everything You Need to Know About Narrative Essay

What is a narrative essay.

When you go through a narrative essay definition, you would know that a narrative essay purpose is to tell a story. It’s all about sharing an experience or event and is different from other types of essays because it’s more focused on how the event made you feel or what you learned from it, rather than just presenting facts or an argument. Let’s explore more details on this interesting write-up and get to know how to write a narrative essay.

Elements of a Narrative Essay

Here’s a breakdown of the key elements of a narrative essay:

A narrative essay has a beginning, middle, and end. It builds up tension and excitement and then wraps things up in a neat package.

Real people, including the writer, often feature in personal narratives. Details of the characters and their thoughts, feelings, and actions can help readers to relate to the tale.

It’s really important to know when and where something happened so we can get a good idea of the context. Going into detail about what it looks like helps the reader to really feel like they’re part of the story.

Conflict or Challenge 

A story in a narrative essay usually involves some kind of conflict or challenge that moves the plot along. It could be something inside the character, like a personal battle, or something from outside, like an issue they have to face in the world.

Theme or Message

A narrative essay isn’t just about recounting an event – it’s about showing the impact it had on you and what you took away from it. It’s an opportunity to share your thoughts and feelings about the experience, and how it changed your outlook.

Emotional Impact

The author is trying to make the story they’re telling relatable, engaging, and memorable by using language and storytelling to evoke feelings in whoever’s reading it.

Narrative essays let writers have a blast telling stories about their own lives. It’s an opportunity to share insights and impart wisdom, or just have some fun with the reader. Descriptive language, sensory details, dialogue, and a great narrative voice are all essentials for making the story come alive.

The Purpose of a Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is more than just a story – it’s a way to share a meaningful, engaging, and relatable experience with the reader. Includes:

Sharing Personal Experience

Narrative essays are a great way for writers to share their personal experiences, feelings, thoughts, and reflections. It’s an opportunity to connect with readers and make them feel something.

Entertainment and Engagement

The essay attempts to keep the reader interested by using descriptive language, storytelling elements, and a powerful voice. It attempts to pull them in and make them feel involved by creating suspense, mystery, or an emotional connection.

Conveying a Message or Insight

Narrative essays are more than just a story – they aim to teach you something. They usually have a moral lesson, a new understanding, or a realization about life that the author gained from the experience.

Building Empathy and Understanding

By telling their stories, people can give others insight into different perspectives, feelings, and situations. Sharing these tales can create compassion in the reader and help broaden their knowledge of different life experiences.

Inspiration and Motivation

Stories about personal struggles, successes, and transformations can be really encouraging to people who are going through similar situations. It can provide them with hope and guidance, and let them know that they’re not alone.

Reflecting on Life’s Significance

These essays usually make you think about the importance of certain moments in life or the impact of certain experiences. They make you look deep within yourself and ponder on the things you learned or how you changed because of those events.

Demonstrating Writing Skills

Coming up with a gripping narrative essay takes serious writing chops, like vivid descriptions, powerful language, timing, and organization. It’s an opportunity for writers to show off their story-telling abilities.

Preserving Personal History

Sometimes narrative essays are used to record experiences and special moments that have an emotional resonance. They can be used to preserve individual memories or for future generations to look back on.

Cultural and Societal Exploration

Personal stories can look at cultural or social aspects, giving us an insight into customs, opinions, or social interactions seen through someone’s own experience.

Format of a Narrative Essay

Narrative essays are quite flexible in terms of format, which allows the writer to tell a story in a creative and compelling way. Here’s a quick breakdown of the narrative essay format, along with some examples:

Introduction

Set the scene and introduce the story.

Engage the reader and establish the tone of the narrative.

Hook: Start with a captivating opening line to grab the reader’s attention. For instance:

Example:  “The scorching sun beat down on us as we trekked through the desert, our water supply dwindling.”

Background Information: Provide necessary context or background without giving away the entire story.

Example:  “It was the summer of 2015 when I embarked on a life-changing journey to…”

Thesis Statement or Narrative Purpose

Present the main idea or the central message of the essay.

Offer a glimpse of what the reader can expect from the narrative.

Thesis Statement: This isn’t as rigid as in other essays but can be a sentence summarizing the essence of the story.

Example:  “Little did I know, that seemingly ordinary hike would teach me invaluable lessons about resilience and friendship.”

Body Paragraphs

Present the sequence of events in chronological order.

Develop characters, setting, conflict, and resolution.

Story Progression : Describe events in the order they occurred, focusing on details that evoke emotions and create vivid imagery.

Example : Detail the trek through the desert, the challenges faced, interactions with fellow hikers, and the pivotal moments.

Character Development : Introduce characters and their roles in the story. Show their emotions, thoughts, and actions.

Example : Describe how each character reacted to the dwindling water supply and supported each other through adversity.

Dialogue and Interactions : Use dialogue to bring the story to life and reveal character personalities.

Example : “Sarah handed me her last bottle of water, saying, ‘We’re in this together.'”

Reach the peak of the story, the moment of highest tension or significance.

Turning Point: Highlight the most crucial moment or realization in the narrative.

Example:  “As the sun dipped below the horizon and hope seemed lost, a distant sound caught our attention—the rescue team’s helicopters.”

Provide closure to the story.

Reflect on the significance of the experience and its impact.

Reflection : Summarize the key lessons learned or insights gained from the experience.

Example : “That hike taught me the true meaning of resilience and the invaluable support of friendship in challenging times.”

Closing Thought : End with a memorable line that reinforces the narrative’s message or leaves a lasting impression.

Example : “As we boarded the helicopters, I knew this adventure would forever be etched in my heart.”

Example Summary:

Imagine a narrative about surviving a challenging hike through the desert, emphasizing the bonds formed and lessons learned. The narrative essay structure might look like starting with an engaging scene, narrating the hardships faced, showcasing the characters’ resilience, and culminating in a powerful realization about friendship and endurance.

Different Types of Narrative Essays

There are a bunch of different types of narrative essays – each one focuses on different elements of storytelling and has its own purpose. Here’s a breakdown of the narrative essay types and what they mean.

Personal Narrative

Description : Tells a personal story or experience from the writer’s life.

Purpose: Reflects on personal growth, lessons learned, or significant moments.

Example of Narrative Essay Types:

Topic : “The Day I Conquered My Fear of Public Speaking”

Focus: Details the experience, emotions, and eventual triumph over a fear of public speaking during a pivotal event.

Descriptive Narrative

Description : Emphasizes vivid details and sensory imagery.

Purpose : Creates a sensory experience, painting a vivid picture for the reader.

Topic : “A Walk Through the Enchanted Forest”

Focus : Paints a detailed picture of the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings experienced during a walk through a mystical forest.

Autobiographical Narrative

Description: Chronicles significant events or moments from the writer’s life.

Purpose: Provides insights into the writer’s life, experiences, and growth.

Topic: “Lessons from My Childhood: How My Grandmother Shaped Who I Am”

Focus: Explores pivotal moments and lessons learned from interactions with a significant family member.

Experiential Narrative

Description: Relays experiences beyond the writer’s personal life.

Purpose: Shares experiences, travels, or events from a broader perspective.

Topic: “Volunteering in a Remote Village: A Journey of Empathy”

Focus: Chronicles the writer’s volunteering experience, highlighting interactions with a community and personal growth.

Literary Narrative

Description: Incorporates literary elements like symbolism, allegory, or thematic explorations.

Purpose: Uses storytelling for deeper explorations of themes or concepts.

Topic: “The Symbolism of the Red Door: A Journey Through Change”

Focus: Uses a red door as a symbol, exploring its significance in the narrator’s life and the theme of transition.

Historical Narrative

Description: Recounts historical events or periods through a personal lens.

Purpose: Presents history through personal experiences or perspectives.

Topic: “A Grandfather’s Tales: Living Through the Great Depression”

Focus: Shares personal stories from a family member who lived through a historical era, offering insights into that period.

Digital or Multimedia Narrative

Description: Incorporates multimedia elements like images, videos, or audio to tell a story.

Purpose: Explores storytelling through various digital platforms or formats.

Topic: “A Travel Diary: Exploring Europe Through Vlogs”

Focus: Combines video clips, photos, and personal narration to document a travel experience.

How to Choose a Topic for Your Narrative Essay?

Selecting a compelling topic for your narrative essay is crucial as it sets the stage for your storytelling. Choosing a boring topic is one of the narrative essay mistakes to avoid . Here’s a detailed guide on how to choose the right topic:

Reflect on Personal Experiences

• Significant Moments:

Moments that had a profound impact on your life or shaped your perspective.

Example: A moment of triumph, overcoming a fear, a life-changing decision, or an unforgettable experience.

• Emotional Resonance:

Events that evoke strong emotions or feelings.

Example: Joy, fear, sadness, excitement, or moments of realization.

• Lessons Learned:

Experiences that taught you valuable lessons or brought about personal growth.

Example: Challenges that led to personal development, shifts in mindset, or newfound insights.

Explore Unique Perspectives

• Uncommon Experiences:

Unique or unconventional experiences that might captivate the reader’s interest.

Example: Unusual travels, interactions with different cultures, or uncommon hobbies.

• Different Points of View:

Stories from others’ perspectives that impacted you deeply.

Example: A family member’s story, a friend’s experience, or a historical event from a personal lens.

Focus on Specific Themes or Concepts

• Themes or Concepts of Interest:

Themes or ideas you want to explore through storytelling.

Example: Friendship, resilience, identity, cultural diversity, or personal transformation.

• Symbolism or Metaphor:

Using symbols or metaphors as the core of your narrative.

Example: Exploring the symbolism of an object or a place in relation to a broader theme.

Consider Your Audience and Purpose

• Relevance to Your Audience:

Topics that resonate with your audience’s interests or experiences.

Example: Choose a relatable theme or experience that your readers might connect with emotionally.

• Impact or Message:

What message or insight do you want to convey through your story?

Example: Choose a topic that aligns with the message or lesson you aim to impart to your readers.

Brainstorm and Evaluate Ideas

• Free Writing or Mind Mapping:

Process: Write down all potential ideas without filtering. Mind maps or free-writing exercises can help generate diverse ideas.

• Evaluate Feasibility:

The depth of the story, the availability of vivid details, and your personal connection to the topic.

Imagine you’re considering topics for a narrative essay. You reflect on your experiences and decide to explore the topic of “Overcoming Stage Fright: How a School Play Changed My Perspective.” This topic resonates because it involves a significant challenge you faced and the personal growth it brought about.

Narrative Essay Topics

50 easy narrative essay topics.

• Learning to Ride a Bike
• My First Day of School
• A Surprise Birthday Party
• The Day I Got Lost
• Visiting a Haunted House
• An Encounter with a Wild Animal
• My Favorite Childhood Toy
• The Best Vacation I Ever Had
• An Unforgettable Family Gathering
• Conquering a Fear of Heights
• A Special Gift I Received
• Moving to a New City
• The Most Memorable Meal
• Getting Caught in a Rainstorm
• An Act of Kindness I Witnessed
• The First Time I Cooked a Meal
• My Experience with a New Hobby
• The Day I Met My Best Friend
• A Hike in the Mountains
• Learning a New Language
• An Embarrassing Moment
• Dealing with a Bully
• My First Job Interview
• A Sporting Event I Attended
• The Scariest Dream I Had
• Helping a Stranger
• The Joy of Achieving a Goal
• A Road Trip Adventure
• Overcoming a Personal Challenge
• The Significance of a Family Tradition
• An Unusual Pet I Owned
• A Misunderstanding with a Friend
• Exploring an Abandoned Building
• My Favorite Book and Why
• The Impact of a Role Model
• A Cultural Celebration I Participated In
• A Valuable Lesson from a Teacher
• A Trip to the Zoo
• An Unplanned Adventure
• Volunteering Experience
• A Moment of Forgiveness
• A Decision I Regretted
• A Special Talent I Have
• The Importance of Family Traditions
• The Thrill of Performing on Stage
• A Moment of Sudden Inspiration
• The Meaning of Home
• Learning to Play a Musical Instrument
• A Childhood Memory at the Park
• Witnessing a Beautiful Sunset

Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

• Discovering a New Passion
• Overcoming Academic Challenges
• Navigating Cultural Differences
• Embracing Independence: Moving Away from Home
• Exploring Career Aspirations
• Coping with Stress in College
• The Impact of a Mentor in My Life
• Balancing Work and Studies
• Facing a Fear of Public Speaking
• Exploring a Semester Abroad
• The Evolution of My Study Habits
• Volunteering Experience That Changed My Perspective
• The Role of Technology in Education
• Finding Balance: Social Life vs. Academics
• Learning a New Skill Outside the Classroom
• Reflecting on Freshman Year Challenges
• The Joys and Struggles of Group Projects
• My Experience with Internship or Work Placement
• Challenges of Time Management in College
• Redefining Success Beyond Grades
• The Influence of Literature on My Thinking
• The Impact of Social Media on College Life
• Overcoming Procrastination
• Lessons from a Leadership Role
• Exploring Diversity on Campus
• Exploring Passion for Environmental Conservation
• An Eye-Opening Course That Changed My Perspective
• Living with Roommates: Challenges and Lessons
• The Significance of Extracurricular Activities
• The Influence of a Professor on My Academic Journey
• Discussing Mental Health in College
• The Evolution of My Career Goals
• Confronting Personal Biases Through Education
• The Experience of Attending a Conference or Symposium
• Challenges Faced by Non-Native English Speakers in College
• The Impact of Traveling During Breaks
• Exploring Identity: Cultural or Personal
• The Impact of Music or Art on My Life
• Addressing Diversity in the Classroom
• Exploring Entrepreneurial Ambitions
• My Experience with Research Projects
• Overcoming Impostor Syndrome in College
• The Importance of Networking in College
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• The Journey of Self-Discovery Through Education

Narrative Essay Comparison

Narrative essay vs. descriptive essay.

Here’s our first narrative essay comparison! While both narrative and descriptive essays focus on vividly portraying a subject or an event, they differ in their primary objectives and approaches. Now, let’s delve into the nuances of comparison on narrative essays.

Narrative Essay:

Storytelling: Focuses on narrating a personal experience or event.

Chronological Order: Follows a structured timeline of events to tell a story.

Message or Lesson: Often includes a central message, moral, or lesson learned from the experience.

Engagement: Aims to captivate the reader through a compelling storyline and character development.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s point of view, using “I” and expressing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Emphasizes a plot with a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Character Development: Focuses on describing characters, their interactions, emotions, and growth.

Conflict or Challenge: Usually involves a central conflict or challenge that drives the narrative forward.

Dialogue: Incorporates conversations to bring characters and their interactions to life.

Reflection: Concludes with reflection or insight gained from the experience.

Descriptive Essay:

Vivid Description: Aims to vividly depict a person, place, object, or event.

Imagery and Details: Focuses on sensory details to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind.

Emotion through Description: Uses descriptive language to evoke emotions and engage the reader’s senses.

Painting a Picture: Creates a sensory-rich description allowing the reader to visualize the subject.

Imagery and Sensory Details: Focuses on providing rich sensory descriptions, using vivid language and adjectives.

Point of Focus: Concentrates on describing a specific subject or scene in detail.

Spatial Organization: Often employs spatial organization to describe from one area or aspect to another.

Objective Observations: Typically avoids the use of personal opinions or emotions; instead, the focus remains on providing a detailed and objective description.

Comparison:

Focus: Narrative essays emphasize storytelling, while descriptive essays focus on vividly describing a subject or scene.

Perspective: Narrative essays are often written from a first-person perspective, while descriptive essays may use a more objective viewpoint.

Purpose: Narrative essays aim to convey a message or lesson through a story, while descriptive essays aim to paint a detailed picture for the reader without necessarily conveying a specific message.

Narrative Essay vs. Argumentative Essay

The narrative essay and the argumentative essay serve distinct purposes and employ different approaches:

Engagement and Emotion: Aims to captivate the reader through a compelling story.

Reflective: Often includes reflection on the significance of the experience or lessons learned.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s point of view, sharing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Emphasizes a storyline with a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Message or Lesson: Conveys a central message, moral, or insight derived from the experience.

Argumentative Essay:

Persuasion and Argumentation: Aims to persuade the reader to adopt the writer’s viewpoint on a specific topic.

Logical Reasoning: Presents evidence, facts, and reasoning to support a particular argument or stance.

Debate and Counterarguments: Acknowledge opposing views and counter them with evidence and reasoning.

Thesis Statement: Includes a clear thesis statement that outlines the writer’s position on the topic.

Thesis and Evidence: Starts with a strong thesis statement and supports it with factual evidence, statistics, expert opinions, or logical reasoning.

Counterarguments: Addresses opposing viewpoints and provides rebuttals with evidence.

Logical Structure: Follows a logical structure with an introduction, body paragraphs presenting arguments and evidence, and a conclusion reaffirming the thesis.

Formal Language: Uses formal language and avoids personal anecdotes or emotional appeals.

Objective: Argumentative essays focus on presenting a logical argument supported by evidence, while narrative essays prioritize storytelling and personal reflection.

Purpose: Argumentative essays aim to persuade and convince the reader of a particular viewpoint, while narrative essays aim to engage, entertain, and share personal experiences.

Structure: Narrative essays follow a storytelling structure with character development and plot, while argumentative essays follow a more formal, structured approach with logical arguments and evidence.

In essence, while both essays involve writing and presenting information, the narrative essay focuses on sharing a personal experience, whereas the argumentative essay aims to persuade the audience by presenting a well-supported argument.

Narrative Essay vs. Personal Essay

While there can be an overlap between narrative and personal essays, they have distinctive characteristics:

Storytelling: Emphasizes recounting a specific experience or event in a structured narrative form.

Engagement through Story: Aims to engage the reader through a compelling story with characters, plot, and a central theme or message.

Reflective: Often includes reflection on the significance of the experience and the lessons learned.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s viewpoint, expressing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Focuses on developing a storyline with a clear beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Character Development: Includes descriptions of characters, their interactions, emotions, and growth.

Central Message: Conveys a central message, moral, or insight derived from the experience.

Personal Essay:

Exploration of Ideas or Themes: Explores personal ideas, opinions, or reflections on a particular topic or subject.

Expression of Thoughts and Opinions: Expresses the writer’s thoughts, feelings, and perspectives on a specific subject matter.

Reflection and Introspection: Often involves self-reflection and introspection on personal experiences, beliefs, or values.

Varied Structure and Content: Can encompass various forms, including memoirs, personal anecdotes, or reflections on life experiences.

Flexibility in Structure: Allows for diverse structures and forms based on the writer’s intent, which could be narrative-like or more reflective.

Theme-Centric Writing: Focuses on exploring a central theme or idea, with personal anecdotes or experiences supporting and illustrating the theme.

Expressive Language: Utilizes descriptive and expressive language to convey personal perspectives, emotions, and opinions.

Focus: Narrative essays primarily focus on storytelling through a structured narrative, while personal essays encompass a broader range of personal expression, which can include storytelling but isn’t limited to it.

Structure: Narrative essays have a more structured plot development with characters and a clear sequence of events, while personal essays might adopt various structures, focusing more on personal reflection, ideas, or themes.

Intent: While both involve personal experiences, narrative essays emphasize telling a story with a message or lesson learned, while personal essays aim to explore personal thoughts, feelings, or opinions on a broader range of topics or themes.

A narrative essay is more than just telling a story. It’s also meant to engage the reader, get them thinking, and leave a lasting impact. Whether it’s to amuse, motivate, teach, or reflect, these essays are a great way to communicate with your audience. This interesting narrative essay guide was all about letting you understand the narrative essay, its importance, and how can you write one.

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3 Great Narrative Essay Examples + Tips for Writing

General Education

A narrative essay is one of the most intimidating assignments you can be handed at any level of your education. Where you've previously written argumentative essays that make a point or analytic essays that dissect meaning, a narrative essay asks you to write what is effectively a story .

But unlike a simple work of creative fiction, your narrative essay must have a clear and concrete motif —a recurring theme or idea that you’ll explore throughout. Narrative essays are less rigid, more creative in expression, and therefore pretty different from most other essays you’ll be writing.

But not to fear—in this article, we’ll be covering what a narrative essay is, how to write a good one, and also analyzing some personal narrative essay examples to show you what a great one looks like.

What Is a Narrative Essay?

At first glance, a narrative essay might sound like you’re just writing a story. Like the stories you're used to reading, a narrative essay is generally (but not always) chronological, following a clear throughline from beginning to end. Even if the story jumps around in time, all the details will come back to one specific theme, demonstrated through your choice in motifs.

Unlike many creative stories, however, your narrative essay should be based in fact. That doesn’t mean that every detail needs to be pure and untainted by imagination, but rather that you shouldn’t wholly invent the events of your narrative essay. There’s nothing wrong with inventing a person’s words if you can’t remember them exactly, but you shouldn’t say they said something they weren’t even close to saying.

Another big difference between narrative essays and creative fiction—as well as other kinds of essays—is that narrative essays are based on motifs. A motif is a dominant idea or theme, one that you establish before writing the essay. As you’re crafting the narrative, it’ll feed back into your motif to create a comprehensive picture of whatever that motif is.

For example, say you want to write a narrative essay about how your first day in high school helped you establish your identity. You might discuss events like trying to figure out where to sit in the cafeteria, having to describe yourself in five words as an icebreaker in your math class, or being unsure what to do during your lunch break because it’s no longer acceptable to go outside and play during lunch. All of those ideas feed back into the central motif of establishing your identity.

The important thing to remember is that while a narrative essay is typically told chronologically and intended to read like a story, it is not purely for entertainment value. A narrative essay delivers its theme by deliberately weaving the motifs through the events, scenes, and details. While a narrative essay may be entertaining, its primary purpose is to tell a complete story based on a central meaning.

Unlike other essay forms, it is totally okay—even expected—to use first-person narration in narrative essays. If you’re writing a story about yourself, it’s natural to refer to yourself within the essay. It’s also okay to use other perspectives, such as third- or even second-person, but that should only be done if it better serves your motif. Generally speaking, your narrative essay should be in first-person perspective.

Though your motif choices may feel at times like you’re making a point the way you would in an argumentative essay, a narrative essay’s goal is to tell a story, not convince the reader of anything. Your reader should be able to tell what your motif is from reading, but you don’t have to change their mind about anything. If they don’t understand the point you are making, you should consider strengthening the delivery of the events and descriptions that support your motif.

Narrative essays also share some features with analytical essays, in which you derive meaning from a book, film, or other media. But narrative essays work differently—you’re not trying to draw meaning from an existing text, but rather using an event you’ve experienced to convey meaning. In an analytical essay, you examine narrative, whereas in a narrative essay you create narrative.

The structure of a narrative essay is also a bit different than other essays. You’ll generally be getting your point across chronologically as opposed to grouping together specific arguments in paragraphs or sections. To return to the example of an essay discussing your first day of high school and how it impacted the shaping of your identity, it would be weird to put the events out of order, even if not knowing what to do after lunch feels like a stronger idea than choosing where to sit. Instead of organizing to deliver your information based on maximum impact, you’ll be telling your story as it happened, using concrete details to reinforce your theme.

3 Great Narrative Essay Examples

One of the best ways to learn how to write a narrative essay is to look at a great narrative essay sample. Let’s take a look at some truly stellar narrative essay examples and dive into what exactly makes them work so well.

A Ticket to the Fair by David Foster Wallace

Today is Press Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, and I’m supposed to be at the fairgrounds by 9:00 A.M. to get my credentials. I imagine credentials to be a small white card in the band of a fedora. I’ve never been considered press before. My real interest in credentials is getting into rides and shows for free. I’m fresh in from the East Coast, for an East Coast magazine. Why exactly they’re interested in the Illinois State Fair remains unclear to me. I suspect that every so often editors at East Coast magazines slap their foreheads and remember that about 90 percent of the United States lies between the coasts, and figure they’ll engage somebody to do pith-helmeted anthropological reporting on something rural and heartlandish. I think they asked me to do this because I grew up here, just a couple hours’ drive from downstate Springfield. I never did go to the state fair, though—I pretty much topped out at the county fair level. Actually, I haven’t been back to Illinois for a long time, and I can’t say I’ve missed it.

Throughout this essay, David Foster Wallace recounts his experience as press at the Illinois State Fair. But it’s clear from this opening that he’s not just reporting on the events exactly as they happened—though that’s also true— but rather making a point about how the East Coast, where he lives and works, thinks about the Midwest.

In his opening paragraph, Wallace states that outright: “Why exactly they’re interested in the Illinois State Fair remains unclear to me. I suspect that every so often editors at East Coast magazines slap their foreheads and remember that about 90 percent of the United States lies between the coasts, and figure they’ll engage somebody to do pith-helmeted anthropological reporting on something rural and heartlandish.”

Not every motif needs to be stated this clearly , but in an essay as long as Wallace’s, particularly since the audience for such a piece may feel similarly and forget that such a large portion of the country exists, it’s important to make that point clear.

But Wallace doesn’t just rest on introducing his motif and telling the events exactly as they occurred from there. It’s clear that he selects events that remind us of that idea of East Coast cynicism , such as when he realizes that the Help Me Grow tent is standing on top of fake grass that is killing the real grass beneath, when he realizes the hypocrisy of craving a corn dog when faced with a real, suffering pig, when he’s upset for his friend even though he’s not the one being sexually harassed, and when he witnesses another East Coast person doing something he wouldn’t dare to do.

Wallace is literally telling the audience exactly what happened, complete with dates and timestamps for when each event occurred. But he’s also choosing those events with a purpose—he doesn’t focus on details that don’t serve his motif. That’s why he discusses the experiences of people, how the smells are unappealing to him, and how all the people he meets, in cowboy hats, overalls, or “black spandex that looks like cheesecake leotards,” feel almost alien to him.

All of these details feed back into the throughline of East Coast thinking that Wallace introduces in the first paragraph. He also refers back to it in the essay’s final paragraph, stating:

At last, an overarching theory blooms inside my head: megalopolitan East Coasters’ summer treats and breaks and literally ‘getaways,’ flights-from—from crowds, noise, heat, dirt, the stress of too many sensory choices….The East Coast existential treat is escape from confines and stimuli—quiet, rustic vistas that hold still, turn inward, turn away. Not so in the rural Midwest. Here you’re pretty much away all the time….Something in a Midwesterner sort of actuates , deep down, at a public event….The real spectacle that draws us here is us.

Throughout this journey, Wallace has tried to demonstrate how the East Coast thinks about the Midwest, ultimately concluding that they are captivated by the Midwest’s less stimuli-filled life, but that the real reason they are interested in events like the Illinois State Fair is that they are, in some ways, a means of looking at the East Coast in a new, estranging way.

The reason this works so well is that Wallace has carefully chosen his examples, outlined his motif and themes in the first paragraph, and eventually circled back to the original motif with a clearer understanding of his original point.

When outlining your own narrative essay, try to do the same. Start with a theme, build upon it with examples, and return to it in the end with an even deeper understanding of the original issue. You don’t need this much space to explore a theme, either—as we’ll see in the next example, a strong narrative essay can also be very short.

Death of a Moth by Virginia Woolf

After a time, tired by his dancing apparently, he settled on the window ledge in the sun, and, the queer spectacle being at an end, I forgot about him. Then, looking up, my eye was caught by him. He was trying to resume his dancing, but seemed either so stiff or so awkward that he could only flutter to the bottom of the window-pane; and when he tried to fly across it he failed. Being intent on other matters I watched these futile attempts for a time without thinking, unconsciously waiting for him to resume his flight, as one waits for a machine, that has stopped momentarily, to start again without considering the reason of its failure. After perhaps a seventh attempt he slipped from the wooden ledge and fell, fluttering his wings, on to his back on the window sill. The helplessness of his attitude roused me. It flashed upon me that he was in difficulties; he could no longer raise himself; his legs struggled vainly. But, as I stretched out a pencil, meaning to help him to right himself, it came over me that the failure and awkwardness were the approach of death. I laid the pencil down again.

In this essay, Virginia Woolf explains her encounter with a dying moth. On surface level, this essay is just a recounting of an afternoon in which she watched a moth die—it’s even established in the title. But there’s more to it than that. Though Woolf does not begin her essay with as clear a motif as Wallace, it’s not hard to pick out the evidence she uses to support her point, which is that the experience of this moth is also the human experience.

In the title, Woolf tells us this essay is about death. But in the first paragraph, she seems to mostly be discussing life—the moth is “content with life,” people are working in the fields, and birds are flying. However, she mentions that it is mid-September and that the fields were being plowed. It’s autumn and it’s time for the harvest; the time of year in which many things die.

In this short essay, she chronicles the experience of watching a moth seemingly embody life, then die. Though this essay is literally about a moth, it’s also about a whole lot more than that. After all, moths aren’t the only things that die—Woolf is also reflecting on her own mortality, as well as the mortality of everything around her.

At its core, the essay discusses the push and pull of life and death, not in a way that’s necessarily sad, but in a way that is accepting of both. Woolf begins by setting up the transitional fall season, often associated with things coming to an end, and raises the ideas of pleasure, vitality, and pity.

At one point, Woolf tries to help the dying moth, but reconsiders, as it would interfere with the natural order of the world. The moth’s death is part of the natural order of the world, just like fall, just like her own eventual death.

All these themes are set up in the beginning and explored throughout the essay’s narrative. Though Woolf doesn’t directly state her theme, she reinforces it by choosing a small, isolated event—watching a moth die—and illustrating her point through details.

With this essay, we can see that you don’t need a big, weird, exciting event to discuss an important meaning. Woolf is able to explore complicated ideas in a short essay by being deliberate about what details she includes, just as you can be in your own essays.

Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin

On the twenty-ninth of July, in 1943, my father died. On the same day, a few hours later, his last child was born. Over a month before this, while all our energies were concentrated in waiting for these events, there had been, in Detroit, one of the bloodiest race riots of the century. A few hours after my father’s funeral, while he lay in state in the undertaker’s chapel, a race riot broke out in Harlem. On the morning of the third of August, we drove my father to the graveyard through a wilderness of smashed plate glass.

Like Woolf, Baldwin does not lay out his themes in concrete terms—unlike Wallace, there’s no clear sentence that explains what he’ll be talking about. However, you can see the motifs quite clearly: death, fatherhood, struggle, and race.

Throughout the narrative essay, Baldwin discusses the circumstances of his father’s death, including his complicated relationship with his father. By introducing those motifs in the first paragraph, the reader understands that everything discussed in the essay will come back to those core ideas. When Baldwin talks about his experience with a white teacher taking an interest in him and his father’s resistance to that, he is also talking about race and his father’s death. When he talks about his father’s death, he is also talking about his views on race. When he talks about his encounters with segregation and racism, he is talking, in part, about his father.

Because his father was a hard, uncompromising man, Baldwin struggles to reconcile the knowledge that his father was right about many things with his desire to not let that hardness consume him, as well.

Baldwin doesn’t explicitly state any of this, but his writing so often touches on the same motifs that it becomes clear he wants us to think about all these ideas in conversation with one another.

At the end of the essay, Baldwin makes it more clear:

This fight begins, however, in the heart and it had now been laid to my charge to keep my own heart free of hatred and despair. This intimation made my heart heavy and, now that my father was irrecoverable, I wished that he had been beside me so that I could have searched his face for the answers which only the future would give me now.

Here, Baldwin ties together the themes and motifs into one clear statement: that he must continue to fight and recognize injustice, especially racial injustice, just as his father did. But unlike his father, he must do it beginning with himself—he must not let himself be closed off to the world as his father was. And yet, he still wishes he had his father for guidance, even as he establishes that he hopes to be a different man than his father.

In this essay, Baldwin loads the front of the essay with his motifs, and, through his narrative, weaves them together into a theme. In the end, he comes to a conclusion that connects all of those things together and leaves the reader with a lasting impression of completion—though the elements may have been initially disparate, in the end everything makes sense.

You can replicate this tactic of introducing seemingly unattached ideas and weaving them together in your own essays. By introducing those motifs, developing them throughout, and bringing them together in the end, you can demonstrate to your reader how all of them are related. However, it’s especially important to be sure that your motifs and clear and consistent throughout your essay so that the conclusion feels earned and consistent—if not, readers may feel mislead.

5 Key Tips for Writing Narrative Essays

Narrative essays can be a lot of fun to write since they’re so heavily based on creativity. But that can also feel intimidating—sometimes it’s easier to have strict guidelines than to have to make it all up yourself. Here are a few tips to keep your narrative essay feeling strong and fresh.

Develop Strong Motifs

Motifs are the foundation of a narrative essay . What are you trying to say? How can you say that using specific symbols or events? Those are your motifs.

In the same way that an argumentative essay’s body should support its thesis, the body of your narrative essay should include motifs that support your theme.

Try to avoid cliches, as these will feel tired to your readers. Instead of roses to symbolize love, try succulents. Instead of the ocean representing some vast, unknowable truth, try the depths of your brother’s bedroom. Keep your language and motifs fresh and your essay will be even stronger!

Use First-Person Perspective

In many essays, you’re expected to remove yourself so that your points stand on their own. Not so in a narrative essay—in this case, you want to make use of your own perspective.

Sometimes a different perspective can make your point even stronger. If you want someone to identify with your point of view, it may be tempting to choose a second-person perspective. However, be sure you really understand the function of second-person; it’s very easy to put a reader off if the narration isn’t expertly deployed.

If you want a little bit of distance, third-person perspective may be okay. But be careful—too much distance and your reader may feel like the narrative lacks truth.

That’s why first-person perspective is the standard. It keeps you, the writer, close to the narrative, reminding the reader that it really happened. And because you really know what happened and how, you’re free to inject your own opinion into the story without it detracting from your point, as it would in a different type of essay.

Stick to the Truth

Your essay should be true. However, this is a creative essay, and it’s okay to embellish a little. Rarely in life do we experience anything with a clear, concrete meaning the way somebody in a book might. If you flub the details a little, it’s okay—just don’t make them up entirely.

Also, nobody expects you to perfectly recall details that may have happened years ago. You may have to reconstruct dialog from your memory and your imagination. That’s okay, again, as long as you aren’t making it up entirely and assigning made-up statements to somebody.

Dialog is a powerful tool. A good conversation can add flavor and interest to a story, as we saw demonstrated in David Foster Wallace’s essay. As previously mentioned, it’s okay to flub it a little, especially because you’re likely writing about an experience you had without knowing that you’d be writing about it later.

However, don’t rely too much on it. Your narrative essay shouldn’t be told through people explaining things to one another; the motif comes through in the details. Dialog can be one of those details, but it shouldn’t be the only one.

Use Sensory Descriptions

Because a narrative essay is a story, you can use sensory details to make your writing more interesting. If you’re describing a particular experience, you can go into detail about things like taste, smell, and hearing in a way that you probably wouldn’t do in any other essay style.

These details can tie into your overall motifs and further your point. Woolf describes in great detail what she sees while watching the moth, giving us the sense that we, too, are watching the moth. In Wallace’s essay, he discusses the sights, sounds, and smells of the Illinois State Fair to help emphasize his point about its strangeness. And in Baldwin’s essay, he describes shattered glass as a “wilderness,” and uses the feelings of his body to describe his mental state.

All these descriptions anchor us not only in the story, but in the motifs and themes as well. One of the tools of a writer is making the reader feel as you felt, and sensory details help you achieve that.

What’s Next?

Looking to brush up on your essay-writing capabilities before the ACT? This guide to ACT English will walk you through some of the best strategies and practice questions to get you prepared!

Part of practicing for the ACT is ensuring your word choice and diction are on point. Check out this guide to some of the most common errors on the ACT English section to be sure that you're not making these common mistakes!

A solid understanding of English principles will help you make an effective point in a narrative essay, and you can get that understanding through taking a rigorous assortment of high school English classes !

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Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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What is a narrative essay?

When writing a narrative essay, one might think of it as telling a story. These essays are often anecdotal, experiential, and personal—allowing students to express themselves in a creative and, quite often, moving ways.

Here are some guidelines for writing a narrative essay.

• If written as a story, the essay should include all the parts of a story.

This means that you must include an introduction, plot, characters, setting, climax, and conclusion.

• When would a narrative essay not be written as a story?

A good example of this is when an instructor asks a student to write a book report. Obviously, this would not necessarily follow the pattern of a story and would focus on providing an informative narrative for the reader.

• The essay should have a purpose.

Make a point! Think of this as the thesis of your story. If there is no point to what you are narrating, why narrate it at all?

• The essay should be written from a clear point of view.

It is quite common for narrative essays to be written from the standpoint of the author; however, this is not the sole perspective to be considered. Creativity in narrative essays oftentimes manifests itself in the form of authorial perspective.

• Use clear and concise language throughout the essay.

Much like the descriptive essay, narrative essays are effective when the language is carefully, particularly, and artfully chosen. Use specific language to evoke specific emotions and senses in the reader.

• The use of the first person pronoun ‘I’ is welcomed.

Do not abuse this guideline! Though it is welcomed it is not necessary—nor should it be overused for lack of clearer diction.

• As always, be organized!

Have a clear introduction that sets the tone for the remainder of the essay. Do not leave the reader guessing about the purpose of your narrative. Remember, you are in control of the essay, so guide it where you desire (just make sure your audience can follow your lead).

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• AWELU contents
• Writing at university
• Different kinds of student texts
• Understanding instructions and stylesheets
• Understanding essay/exam questions
• Peer review instructions
• Dealing with feedback
• Checklist for writers
• Research writing resources
• Administrative writing resources
• LU language policy

Introduction

• What characterises academic writing?
• The heterogeneity of academic writing

Three-part essays

• IMRaD essays
• How to get started on your response paper
• Student literature review
• Annotated bibliography
• Three versions of the RA
• Examples of specificity within disciplines
• Reviews (review articles and book reviews)
• Popular science writing
• Research posters
• Grant proposals
• Writing for Publication
• Salutations
• Structuring your email
• Direct and indirect approaches
• Useful email phrases
• Language tips for email writers
• Writing memos
• Meeting terminology
• The writing process
• Identifying your audience
• Using invention techniques
• Research question
• Thesis statement
• Developing reading strategies
• Taking notes
• Identifying language resources
• Choosing a writing tool
• Framing the text: Title and reference list
• Structure of the whole text
• Structuring the argument
• Structure of introductions
• Structure within sections of the text
• Structure within paragraphs
• Signposting the structure
• Using sources
• What needs to be revised?
• How to revise
• Many vs. much
• Other quantifiers
• Quantifiers in a table
• Miscellaneous quantifiers
• Adjectives and adverbs
• Capitalisation
• Sentence fragment
• Run-on sentences
• What or which?
• Singular noun phrases connected by "or"
• Singular noun phrases connected by "either/or"
• Connected singular and plural noun phrases
• Noun phrases conjoined by "and"
• Subjects containing "along with", "as well as", and "besides"
• Indefinite pronouns and agreement
• Sums of money and periods of time
• Words that indicate portions
• Uncountable nouns
• Dependent clauses and agreement
• Agreement with the right noun phrase
• Some important exceptions and words of advice
• Atypical nouns
• The major word classes
• The morphology of the major word classes
• Words and phrases
• Elements in the noun phrase
• Classes of nouns
• Determiners
• Elements in the verb phrase
• Classes of main verbs
• Auxiliary verbs
• Primary auxiliary verbs
• Modal auxiliary verbs
• Meanings of modal auxiliaries
• Marginal auxiliary verbs
• Time and tense
• Simple and progressive forms
• The perfect
• Active and passive voice
• Adjective phrases
• Adverb phrases
• Personal pronouns
• Dummy pronouns
• Possessive pronouns
• Interrogative pronouns
• Indefinite pronouns
• Quantifiers
• Prepositions and prepositional phrases
• More on adverbials
• The order of subjects and verbs
• Subject-Verb agreement
• Hyphen and dash
• English spelling rules
• Commonly confused words
• Differences between British and American spelling
• Vocabulary awareness
• Useful words and phrases
• Using abbreviations
• Register types
• Formal vs. informal
• DOs & DON'Ts
• General information on dictionary use
• Online dictionary resources
• What is a corpus?
• Examples of the usefulness of a corpus
• Using the World Wide Web as a corpus
• Online corpus resources
• Different kinds of sources
• The functions of references
• Paraphrasing
• Summarising
• Reference accuracy
• Reference management tools
• Different kinds of reference styles
• Style format
• Elements of the reference list
• Documentary note style
• Writing acknowledgements
• What is academic integrity?
• Academic integrity and writing
• Academic integrity at LU
• Different kinds of plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• About Awelu

• Start here AWELU contents Student writing resources Research writing resources Administrative writing resources LU language policy
• Genres Introduction The Nature of Academic Writing Student writing genres Writing in Academic Genres Writing for Publication Writing for Administrative Purposes
• Writing The writing process Pre-writing stage Writing stage Rewriting stage
• Language Introduction Common problems and how to avoid them Selective mini grammar Coherence Punctuation Spelling Focus on vocabulary Register and style Dictionaries Corpora - resources for writer autonomy References
• Referencing Introduction Different kinds of sources The functions of references How to give references Reference accuracy Reference management tools Using a reference style Quick guides to reference styles Writing acknowledgements
• Academic integrity What is academic integrity? Academic integrity and writing Academic integrity at LU Plagiarism

Essays consisting of an introduction, a main body (which may be divided into sections), and a   conclusion   are referred to as three-part essays. You may be used to this essay format from school.

In the introduction, the reader is introduced to the topic that will be discussed and to the argument that will be presented. After the introduction comes the main part of the text, where the analysis and discussion are carried out and results are presented. Depending on the length of the essay, this body section may or may not be divided into different sections, and the division may be thematic, chronological, or based on comparison and contrast, for instance. In the final part of the essay, the argument will be summed up and conclusions will be drawn from what has been discussed in the body.

Structure of the three-part essay

Each section of the text needs to be structured in a way that helps the reader understand the argument and the points that the writer wishes to make.

The main purpose of the introduction is to provide the reader with a clear idea of the focus and aim of the text. The topic of the essay/article is presented in the introduction, often accompanied by a thesis statement (the claim that the writer wishes to make). Depending on the type of essay, the introduction section also

• provides the context/background of the argument
• introduces the theoretical perspectives, terminology, etc. that will be used
• explains how the writing will be organised

All the information in the introduction must be relevant to the points that are subsequently made in the body of the text. The introduction often starts with a broad, or general, description of the topic and then gradually narrows down to the specific focus of the essay. Read more about the structure of introductions, and learn about the CARS (Creating a Research Space) model here:

After the introduction comes the main part of the text, which is often referred to as the body. This is where the analysis and discussion will be carried out and where results are presented. Everything that is brought up in this part of the text relates back to what was presented in the introduction. Depending on discipline, aim and context, there are various ways of structuring the body of the text. A basic strategy is to deal with one thing at a time and to order the different issues that are brought up in a logical sequence that makes the argument easy to follow.

Depending on the length of the essay, the body may or may not be divided into different sections. Note that there is never a heading called "Body" in essays; this word is only used when talking about the essay format to signal that it is the bulk of the essay text.

In the final part of the essay, the argument is summed up and conclusions are drawn from what has been discussed. Generally, a conclusion should not contain any new facts or ideas, but instead provide a brief restatement of the main arguments that have been presented in the essay.

The conclusion might refer back to the introduction and comment on the thesis statement or the research questions presented there. In some texts, it is appropriate to include a look forward, in the form of suggestions for further study, for instance.

You can watch this video for more information about the three-part essay structure:

Instructional video from the free online MOOC "Writing in English at University" which was developed at Lund University in 2016.

Further help on writing a three-part essay

For further information and advice about different parts of the essay, see:

• Structure of Introductions

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Last updated on Mar 18, 2021

The Three-Act Structure: The King of Story Structures

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Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

The three-act structure is perhaps the most common technique in the English-speaking world for plotting stories — widely used by screenwriters and novelists. It digs deep into the popular notion that a story must have a beginning, middle, and end and goes even further, defining specific plot events that must take place at each stage.

In this post, we dissect the three acts and each of their plot points — using three-act structure examples from popular culture to illustrate each point.

Let’s begin! In three, two, one...

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What is the three-act structure?

The three-act structure is a model used in narrative fiction that divides a story into three parts (or acts), often called the Setup, the Confrontation, and the Resolution. An old dramatic principle, the three-act structure can be traced back to Aristotle’s Poetics , in which he defines it as one of the five key elements of tragedy.

According to Aristotle, each act should be bridged by a beat that sends the narrative in a different direction . His belief was that stories must be a chain of cause-and-effect beats: each scene must lead into what happens next and not be a standalone "episode."

Now that we know the three-act structure, let’s dive into how it works.

Common story beats in the three-act structure

To help us better understand writers might use this structure to construct a story, we’ll need to dig deeper into what makes up each of the acts. Here is what you’ll find in the three-act structure:

• Act 1: Setup – Exposition, Inciting Incident, Plot Point One
• Act 2: Confrontation – Rising Action, Midpoint, Plot Point Two
• Act 3: Resolution – Pre-Climax, Climax, Denouement

To help you see this structure in action, we’ll use 1939’s The Wizard of Oz as an example as we unpack all nine story beats.

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Act One: The Setup

Despite being one of three sections in a plot, Act One typically lasts for the first quarter of the story.

The exposition is all about setting the stage. The reader (or audience) should get an idea of:

• who your protagonist is, 
• what their everyday life is like, 
• and what’s important to them. 

Of course, nobody’s life is perfect — so the exposition should give readers a sense of the main character's current desires and the challenges that prevent them from getting what they want in life

Example: Dorothy dreams of somewhere over the rainbow

In The Wizard of Oz , Dorothy’s home life in Kansas forms the bulk of the exposition. We see that her family are hard-working farmers and that she has a dog she cares for called Toto. We learn that Dorothy feels misunderstood and under-appreciated.

Inciting Incident

This is the catalyst that sets the protagonist’s adventure in motion. The inciting incident is a crucial beat in the three-act story structure: without it, the story in question wouldn’t exist. The inciting incident proposes a journey to the protagonist that could help them change their situation and achieve their goal.

Author and editor Kristen Kieffer suggests asking yourself the following questions to help you craft the inciting incident:

• How is my protagonist dissatisfied with their life?
• What would it take for my protagonist to find satisfaction? (This is their goal).
• What are my protagonist’s biggest fears and character flaws?
• How would the actions that my protagonist needs to take to find satisfaction force them to confront their fears and/or flaws?

The catalyst is often called the “call to adventure” and asks your protagonist to push themselves out of their comfort zone. This is where Luke Skywalker receives a distress call from Princess Leia, where Tony Stark is captured by terrorists at the start of Iron Man.

Will the protagonist rise to the challenge, or will they “resist the call” to adventure? After all, going on this journey will have consequences for themselves and those around them. What’s at stake if they fail?

Depending on the character, and their core fears and flaws, you may need to dedicate a few scenes to raise the stakes so that the character has no choice but to accept.

Not sure what those flaws and fears are yet? Don't worry! Our handy character profile template will help you find out.

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Example: A twister takes Dorothy on an adventure

Dorothy runs away from home and encounters a professor who encourages her to go home. Upon her return, a tornado causes Dorothy to be struck in the head by a window. Her home has been whisked off to the Land of Oz when she wakes up.

Plot Point One

It’s full speed ahead now! No more hemming and hawing for your character: the First Plot Point represents the protagonist’s decision to engage with whatever action the inciting incident has created. It’s when Bilbo Baggins decides to join Gandalf and the band of dwarves for an epic adventure in The Hobbit .

In some stories, the Inciting Incident and Plot Point One happen in the same scene. For instance, in The Hunger Games , Katniss Everdeen’s sister is selected as a ‘tribute’ in the titular games (inciting incident), and Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place (plot point one).

Think of the First Plot Point as the springboard that launches your character into Act Two. 

Example: Dorothy chooses to ease on down the road

Frightened and confused, Dorothy wants to go home and is told by Glinda the Good Witch that the only way is to follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City where The Wizard lives. Dorothy decides to follow the road, and it’s established the Wicked Witch will try to stop her.

Act Two: Confrontation

Typically the longest of all three sections: Act Two usually comprises the second and third quarters of the story.

Rising Action

Here’s the part where Dorothy waltzes down the Yellow Brick Road to meet Oz who sends her home without a hitch, right?

Nope. This is where the protagonist’s journey — or the pursuit of their goal — begins to take form and where they first encounter roadblocks. The protagonist learns their new surroundings and starts understanding the challenges that lay before them. This is the part of the story where you should better acquaint readers with the rest of the cast (both friends and foes) and the primary antagonist. You will also elaborate on the story’s overarching conflict (whether it’s a person or a thing).

As the protagonist learns more about the road ahead, they’ll change and adapt to have a better chance of achieving their goal. In this way, the main character is usually more reactionary than proactive in the Rising Action phase .

Example: Dorothy makes friends and discovers roadblocks

Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and Lion. They travel down the Yellow Brick Road, encountering obstacles such as apple-throwing trees and sleep-inducing poppies.

It’s no big surprise that the Midpoint takes place at… drumroll, please… the middle of the story! A significant event should occur here, usually involving something going horribly wrong.

Return to the protagonist’s main goal to establish what this Midpoint event should be. What must happen for them to feel that their goal is being directly threatened? What could make the character even more acutely aware of the stakes at hand?

Example: The Gang meets up with The Wizard

Dorothy finally reaches the Emerald City and meets with The Wizard, who is a big disappointment. He initially refuses to meet with them, and when he eventually does, he declines to help them until they bring him the Wicked Witch’s broomstick.

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Plot Point Two

Our poor protagonist has fallen on hard times. They thought they were making headway on their goal, and then the Midpoint came and threw them off their rhythm.

Give them some time to reflect on the story’s conflict here. The aftermath of the Midpoint crisis will force the protagonist to pivot from being a “passenger” to a more proactive force to be reckoned with. You might want to plan a sequence where the main character’s resolve is bolstered through productive progress on their journey’s goal. Think of Plot Point Two as the pep talk your character needs to stand up straight and get ready to meet their antagonist head-on. They’ll need this confidence to handle what comes next…

Example: The decision to face the Wicked Witch

Dorothy must decide whether to risk heading to the Wicked Witch’s castle or give up on her chance of going home. She and her companions decide to confront the witch.

Act Three: Resolution

The final act typically takes up a quarter of the story — often less.

Even the strongest knight has weak spots in their armor: their deep-rooted fears and flaws. As the protagonist has been gearing up to meet the antagonist head-on, their main foe has also been getting stronger and is now ready for battle.

Also called “The Dark Night of the Soul,” the pre-climax starts with the final clash between the protagonist and the antagonist. We’ve experienced the entire journey with the main character — but this is where we get our first glimpse of the antagonist’s true strength, which usually catches the main character off guard. Even though most readers know that the protagonist typically wins the day, we should have some doubt here about how the last act will play out and if the main character will be okay.

Example: All seems to be lost

While on the way to the Wicked Witch’s castle, Dorothy is captured. The Witch finds out that the ruby slippers can’t be taken against Dorothy’s will while she’s alive, so she sets an hourglass and threatens that Dorothy will die when it runs out.

The climax signifies the final moments of the story’s overarching conflict. Since the antagonist has just hit the protagonist where it hurts in the previous beat, the protagonist has to lick their wounds. Then they face off again, and the main character finally ends the conflict.

The climax itself is normally contained to a single scene, while the pre-climax typically lasts longer and might stretch over a sequence of events.

Example: “I’m melting!”

Dorothy throws a bucket of water on the Scarecrow, who has been set alight. She ends up accidentally dousing the Witch, who melts into a puddle. The guards hand the Witch’s broom to Dorothy.

Finally, the dust settles. If the protagonist’s goal is not immediately obtained during the Climax, the denouement is where this should be achieved (or redefined, if their goal changed during Act Three). Along with this, the denouement should also:

• Fulfill any promises made to the reader. Check out this post on Chekhov’s Gun to learn more about this;
• Tie up significant loose ends;
• Underscore the theme; and
• Release the tension built up during the climactic sequences of events.

If you want to learn more about nailing your story’s resolution, check out this post on how to end a story.

Example: Everyone gets what they need

The Scarecrow receives a diploma, the Tin Man receives a “heart,” and the Lion receives a medal of valor. The Good Witch explains that Dorothy has always had the power to go home; she just didn’t tell her earlier because she wouldn’t have believed it. Dorothy taps her ruby slippers and heads back to Kansas to greet her family lovingly.

When should you use it?

The three-act structure is just one way to think about a story, so writers shouldn’t feel limited. The benefit of using the three-act structure is that it will help ensure that every scene starts and end with a clear purpose and direction . Even if you don't start outlining your novel with it, if you find yourself struck by pacing issues, it's often useful to fit your story into the three-act structure to see why that might be.

No matter what type of novel you're writing, we've got resources for you! Check out the rest of this guide for more articles breaking down common story structures, and sign up for our ultimate novel writing course for even more tips to get you started.

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7 responses

Adron J. Smitley says:

02/07/2018 – 06:40

Excellent advice! I actually just published a book for writers and nanowrimos to help both Plotter and Pantser write their novels called, "Pen the sword: the universal plot skeleton of every story ever told" its free with kindle unlimited. walks you through every step of plotting your novel :-)

Lita Brooker says:

03/07/2018 – 19:59

Such a useful article. Thank you.

Ryan Monahan says:

04/07/2018 – 17:49

Very informative! Would you be able to make an article or two about alternatives to the 3-Act Structure (maybe even compare/contrast them) and how the various story structures are used for series?

↪️ Reedsy replied:

05/07/2018 – 14:52

We're definitely working on more structure articles like this to explore different structure options :)

Marie Robinson says:

08/07/2018 – 14:38

I've recently started thinking about structure in 4 acts instead of 3. It's actually exactly the same structure, but you break Act II up at the midpoint and make that second half a separate act. This had helped me think of that middle half of the story in more manageable 25% chunks, and it has greatly reduced that "muddy middle" problem that I know is not unique to me.

Svetlana Rosemond says:

08/05/2019 – 12:28

I'm planning on writing a series of blog posts and I was researching the 3AS and came across your blog. Would you mind if I quoted and linked back to it ? Here is my blog.

08/05/2019 – 12:29

Of course! We'd be delighted if you did :) Thanks so much!

Comments are currently closed.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the structure of an essay.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Frequently asked questions: Writing an essay

For a stronger conclusion paragraph, avoid including:

• Important evidence or analysis that wasn’t mentioned in the main body
• Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
• Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

Your essay’s conclusion should contain:

• A rephrased version of your overall thesis
• A brief review of the key points you made in the main body
• An indication of why your argument matters

The conclusion may also reflect on the broader implications of your argument, showing how your ideas could applied to other contexts or debates.

The conclusion paragraph of an essay is usually shorter than the introduction . As a rule, it shouldn’t take up more than 10–15% of the text.

An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.

To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

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.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

Let’s say you’re writing a five-paragraph  essay about the environmental impacts of dietary choices. Here are three examples of topic sentences you could use for each of the three body paragraphs :

• Research has shown that the meat industry has severe environmental impacts.
• However, many plant-based foods are also produced in environmentally damaging ways.
• It’s important to consider not only what type of diet we eat, but where our food comes from and how it is produced.

Each of these sentences expresses one main idea – by listing them in order, we can see the overall structure of the essay at a glance. Each paragraph will expand on the topic sentence with relevant detail, evidence, and arguments.

The topic sentence usually comes at the very start of the paragraph .

However, sometimes you might start with a transition sentence to summarize what was discussed in previous paragraphs, followed by the topic sentence that expresses the focus of the current paragraph.

Topic sentences help keep your writing focused and guide the reader through your argument.

In an essay or paper , each paragraph should focus on a single idea. By stating the main idea in the topic sentence, you clarify what the paragraph is about for both yourself and your reader.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.

Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:

• In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
• In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
• In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory

At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.

Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”

In rhetorical analysis , a claim is something the author wants the audience to believe. A support is the evidence or appeal they use to convince the reader to believe the claim. A warrant is the (often implicit) assumption that links the support with the claim.

Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments . Ethos appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.

Collectively, these three appeals are sometimes called the rhetorical triangle . They are central to rhetorical analysis , though a piece of rhetoric might not necessarily use all of them.

The term “text” in a rhetorical analysis essay refers to whatever object you’re analyzing. It’s frequently a piece of writing or a speech, but it doesn’t have to be. For example, you could also treat an advertisement or political cartoon as a text.

The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to explain the effect a piece of writing or oratory has on its audience, how successful it is, and the devices and appeals it uses to achieve its goals.

Unlike a standard argumentative essay , it’s less about taking a position on the arguments presented, and more about exploring how they are constructed.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

• The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
• The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

Your subjects might be very different or quite similar, but it’s important that there be meaningful grounds for comparison . You can probably describe many differences between a cat and a bicycle, but there isn’t really any connection between them to justify the comparison.

You’ll have to write a thesis statement explaining the central point you want to make in your essay , so be sure to know in advance what connects your subjects and makes them worth comparing.

Some essay prompts include the keywords “compare” and/or “contrast.” In these cases, an essay structured around comparing and contrasting is the appropriate response.

Comparing and contrasting is also a useful approach in all kinds of academic writing : You might compare different studies in a literature review , weigh up different arguments in an argumentative essay , or consider different theoretical approaches in a theoretical framework .

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

If you’re not given a specific prompt for your descriptive essay , think about places and objects you know well, that you can think of interesting ways to describe, or that have strong personal significance for you.

The best kind of object for a descriptive essay is one specific enough that you can describe its particular features in detail—don’t choose something too vague or general.

If you’re not given much guidance on what your narrative essay should be about, consider the context and scope of the assignment. What kind of story is relevant, interesting, and possible to tell within the word count?

The best kind of story for a narrative essay is one you can use to reflect on a particular theme or lesson, or that takes a surprising turn somewhere along the way.

Don’t worry too much if your topic seems unoriginal. The point of a narrative essay is how you tell the story and the point you make with it, not the subject of the story itself.

Narrative essays are usually assigned as writing exercises at high school or in university composition classes. They may also form part of a university application.

When you are prompted to tell a story about your own life or experiences, a narrative essay is usually the right response.

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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Screen Rant

The 'burbs tv series: cast, story & everything we know.

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The 'burbs tv reboot is confirmed, the 'burbs tv reboot cast, the 'burbs tv reboot story details.

The cult classic horror comedy The 'Burbs is getting remade in an all-new small screen adaptation by comedy maven Seth MacFarlane, and there are already a ton of updates. Released in 1989 to little fanfare, the original movie stars Tom Hanks as an average suburbanite whose stay at home vacation turns into a nightmare when he begins to suspect his new neighbors might be murderers. Playfully lambasting the urban paranoia that typified the Reagan Era in the United States, director Joe Dante's deviously funny concept was way ahead of its time.

As is the case with many underrated comedy movies from the '80s , The 'Burbs has always been a high priority to get a modern re-do. Now, TV comedy legend Seth MacFarlane has stepped up to the plate, and plans to modernize the horror comedy as a TV series. Though a lot of the new remake is being kept under wraps for now, Keke Palmer has already been tapped to lead the show. As the project continues to take shape, it begins to look more and more like the new take on The 'Burbs can help the original get the attention it deserves.

10 Horror Comedy Flops That Absolutely Should’ve Been Bigger Hits

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A Remake Of The 'Burbs Is Coming Soon

Continuing the trend of '80s and '90s remakes that have been so popular lately, it has now been confirmed that a TV remake of The 'Burbs is currently in the works. Coming 35 years after the Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher cult classic hit theaters, executive producer Seth MacFarlane is helping to oversee a modernization of the black comedy that has already tapped Keke Palmer to star. The series will be lead by executive producer Brian Grazer and Imagine Entertainment, the company that delivered the original film.

The series is being penned by Celeste Hughey ( Palm Royale, Dead to Me ) who will also serve as one of the producers. No other names are attached to the series on either side of the camera yet, but Peacock will host the new take on The 'Burbs . Many story details remain elusive, and it's currently unclear how far along the series is in its development phase. As such, a release date won't be revealed for quite some time.

Dana Olsen wrote the script for the original film.

Keke Palmer Is Set To Star

Though much about the TV remake of The 'Burbs remains unknown, the show has already landed its lead actor. Keke Palmer ( Nope ) has been tapped to star, though exact details about her character haven't been announced yet. It's likely that Palmer's new character will be an approximation of Tom Hank's original character , an affable suburbanite who grows increasingly paranoid and suspicious of his new neighbors. The cast will need to add a slew of supporting roles as well, but it's unclear exactly who those will be at this time.

A Modern Take On The Cult Classic

The 'Burbs will need to take the basic framework from the film and apply modern issues to the structure for hilarious results.

While it may be unclear exactly how the new Peacock series will achieve the modernization, it's clear that the remake of The 'Burbs will look to update certain details from the original . Though there's nothing inherently problematic with the original, it is still very much a product of the late 1980s, and the exact same tone wouldn't work in the modern day quite as well. Therefore, The 'Burbs will need to take the basic framework from the film and apply modern issues to the structure for hilarious results.

Ideas like urban paranoia still work well, but the TV remake has the opportunity to add in issues like race and class which were largely left off the table originally . Without being too heavy-handed, the reboot of The 'Burbs can explore real-life issues like gentrification, white flight, and blockbusting to tell a humorous and horrific story set within an unassuming suburb. However, until more details surface about the new vision, the story of the reboot of The 'Burbs can only be speculated on.

The 'Burbs

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The 'Burbs is a dark comedy directed by Joe Dante, starring Tom Hanks as Ray Peterson, a suburbanite who grows suspicious of his eccentric new neighbors. As strange events unfold, Peterson and his friends become increasingly convinced that something sinister is happening next door. The film explores themes of paranoia and suburban life with a humorous twist.

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Harris picks Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for running mate

Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate, according to three sources with knowledge of the pick, adding a popular Midwestern state executive to the Democratic ticket as the party gears up to hold onto key Northern battleground states this fall.

In picking Walz, who’s in his second term and also served 12 years in Congress, Harris will have as her No. 2 someone with a proven record of winning over white working-class voters in Rust Belt states while also boasting a robustly  progressive record .

Democrats will hope that mix of attributes helps a Harris-Walz ticket shore up support in the onetime “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan — longtime Democratic strongholds at the presidential level that Donald Trump flipped in 2016 and Joe Biden flipped back in 2020. This year, they’ve been seen as Biden’s, and now Harris’, most viable path to victory.

Walz, 60, had initially been viewed as a long shot in a field of vice presidential contenders that included rising party stars, some of whom have been mentioned as future presidential candidates, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Now Harris has chosen a governing partner who has leaned in at times to a folksy, Midwestern reputation while also proving to be a reliable attack dog against Trump.

Walz’s experiences earlier in his life, as a public school teacher and a member of the Army National Guard, could also buttress his ability to speak to different voting blocs — including veterans and organized labor — that Harris will need to win in November.

Walz, a Nebraska native, enlisted in the National Guard when he was 17 and served for more than two decades, with both domestic and overseas deployments. He later was a high school social studies teacher and football coach in Mankato, about 80 miles south of Minneapolis, before he won a congressional seat in a largely rural and agricultural district in 2006.

He represented Minnesota’s 1st District for 12 years before his successful run for governor in 2018. A 1995 reckless driving arrest in Nebraska, during which, an officer said, Walz had failed a sobriety test, came up in his campaigns for House and the governorship, but he was elected anyway. Walz called it a “gut check moment” in an interview with the Minneapolis  Star Tribune  in 2018, saying he stopped drinking afterward.

Walz’s allies have spoken frequently about how his background representing rural communities is much needed in the party, noting that he won re-election in a red-trending district — one that was about evenly divided in 2012 but swung heavily to Trump in 2016 — and could help Democrats compete for some moderate or conservative voters skeptical of Trump this time around.

Walz also had the most Capitol Hill experience of anyone on Harris’ reported short list, with relationships in Congress  that could help a new president move a legislative agenda .

As governor, Walz has overseen  a bonanza of progressive policy accomplishments  — particularly during his second term, during which Democrats have also controlled both chambers of the Legislature. 

He has signed laws protecting  abortion rights , legalizing  recreational marijuana , restricting  gun access  and providing  legal refuge  to trans youths whose access to gender-affirming and other medical care has been restricted elsewhere. Progressives elsewhere have pointed to Minnesota as a case study in how to effectively use the power of a legislative trifecta to achieve policy priorities.

Walz also enacted laws expanding  paid family leave , banning  most non-compete agreements , providing  universal school meals  for students and  capping the price of insulin in Minnesota  (three years before  Biden  did it nationally) — a list of legislative wins his colleagues and supporters have said would translate nationally.

Walz doesn’t have the same degree of name recognition as many of his presumed competitors to be Harris’ running mate, though he spent a year leading fundraising efforts for Democratic governors as chair of the Democratic Governors Association. In recent days, Walz has turned up the publicity dial, trying out attack lines against Trump and Sen. JD Vance in a slew of media appearances.

In a late July interview on  MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,”  he ripped Trump and Vance as “weird,” gaining wider notice. Harris herself began  using the “weird” line  almost immediately.

Walz also explicitly used his media appearances to attack the GOP ticket by playing up his strong cultural ties to the middle of the country — and to demonstrate to Democrats how he would intend for the party to win over those voters.

“What I know is that people like JD Vance know nothing about small town America,” Walz said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on July 23. “My town had 400 people, 24 kids in my graduating class, 12 were cousins. And he gets it all wrong.”

“It’s not about hate. It’s not about collapsing in. The golden rule there is mind your own damn business,” Walz said, adding that Republican “policies are what destroyed rural America. They divided us. They’re in our exam rooms. They’re telling us what books to read.”

“And what I think what Kamala Harris knows is bringing people together around the shared values, strong public schools, strong labor unions that create the middle class, health care that’s affordable and accessible, those are the things,” Walz said.

Picking Walz doesn’t come without risks. While his selection underscores Democrats’ effort to aggressively go after Midwestern voters, he doesn’t bring a specific battleground state advantage: Minnesota hasn’t gone red in a presidential race since 1972.

In addition, as Walz’s stock has risen in recent days, critics have reintroduced questions about his governing record. They include concerns over a delay calling in the National Guard as protests engulfed Minneapolis following the murder of George Floyd by city police officers in May 2020, as well as the fact that  the biggest pandemic fraud case in the U.S.  happened under his watch.

Another presumed liability for Walz’s VP chances early on had been his role as a co-chair of the Democratic National Convention rules committee — a job that, in the chaotic days after Biden dropped out of the race, led him to help Harris quickly become the party’s presumptive nominee.

Any potential criticism over a conflict of interest was largely rendered moot when precisely zero high-profile competitors challenged Harris for the nomination.

Walz told reporters that “anybody [who] wants to put their name in” to be nominated” can do so.

Adam Edelman is a political reporter for NBC News.

Monica Alba is a political reporter for NBC News.

Yamiche Alcindor is an NBC News Washington correspondent. 

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