parts of a short essay

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5 Main Parts of an Essay: An Easy Guide to a Solid Structure

• DESCRIPTION Student working on his computer, sitting outdoors
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You might think of essays as boring assignments for explaining the themes in Huckleberry Finn or breaking down the characters in The Great Gatsby , but the essay is one of the most timeless forms in all of literature. It’s a genre that includes deep readings of texts, personal essays, and journalistic reports. Before you get to any of that, you need to figure out the basic parts of the essay.

What Are the Parts of an Essay?

You can think of any essay as consisting of three parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. You might see some small variations, but for the most part, that is the structure of any essay.

Take the five-paragraph essay as a simple example. With that form, you get one introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. That’s five paragraphs, but three parts.

What Are the Main Parts of an Essay Printable 2022

Like a good word burger: how to write the three parts of an essay.

A good essay is much like a good burger (or a sandwich, but we’re a burger society here). Your intro and conclusion are the buns sandwiching the patty, cheese, and other good toppings of the body paragraphs.

What Is an Introduction Paragraph?

“Hello! My name is Seymour. It’s nice to meet you.” That might seem like a simple, non-essay introduction, but it has all the basic components of what you want in an  introduction paragraph . You start with the hook. Your hook is the first sentence of your entire essay, so you want to grab people’s attention (or hook them) immediately.

From there, you have sentences that lead the reader directly to the thesis sentence . Your thesis is possibly the most important part of your entire essay. It’s the entire raison d'être . It’s what you’re arguing or trying to accomplish with your essay as a whole.

Kaboom! That, the sound of the entire universe forming in an instant, giving rise to apples, toenails, and what we know today as the humble five-paragraph essay. Since that fortuitous moment, the five-paragraph essay has become the favorite assignment among English teachers, to the bemusement of students. Although many educators, professionals, and youths have valid criticisms about the form, the five-paragraph essay is an important component of developing writing skills and critical thought. 

What Is a Body Paragraph?

The body paragraphs are the main part of your essay burger. Each body paragraph presents an idea that supports your thesis. This can include evidence from a literary source, details that build out your thesis, or explanations for your reasoning.

The first sentence of each body paragraph is known as the topic sentence . You can kind of think of it like a smaller part of your thesis sentence. It’s the main idea that you want to discuss in that specific body paragraph. The rest of the body paragraph is made up of supporting sentences, which support that topic sentence.

While many are critical of the five-paragraph essay’s rigid form, that rigidity is part of what makes it so advantageous. Every five-paragraph essay is an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph, and they will always have that structure. With such a stable form, a writer truly only needs to worry about the contents of the essay, putting all the focus on the actual writing and ideas, not the organization.

What Is a Concluding Paragraph?

A burger needs a solid, sturdy bottom bun. Otherwise, the burger would fall apart. The same holds for a conclusion. A good conclusion holds the essay together, while offering a unique finishing touch to the whole thing.

The conclusion is at once the easiest and hardest part of the essay. It’s easy in that it mostly involves restating your thesis and much of what you already discussed. The hard part is thinking outside of the essay and considering how your thesis applies to components of real life.

In conclusion, the five-paragraph essay is a useful and effective form for teaching students how to write and develop their critical thinking skills. It’s not without its setbacks, but it’s a simple form that can give way to other ways of writing. Longer research papers are essentially five-paragraph essays with more body paragraphs, while short fiction and creative writing require similar critical thought and writing acumen. Even if you don’t write, five-paragraph essays can teach you how to use your voice and express your ideas.

Explore Essay Examples

Understanding each part of an essay is essential to writing one, but seeing actual essay examples in the wild can take you from essay noob to essay expert. Look at specific types of essays, and see if you can pick out the different parts in each one — from thesis statements to hooks and concluding sentences. 

• Argumentative Essay Examples
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• Narrative Essay Examples

How to Write a Short Essay, With Examples

Writing clearly and concisely is one of the best skills you can take from school into professional settings. A great way to practice this kind of writing is with short essays. A short essay is any essay that has a word count of fewer than 1,000 words. While getting assigned a short essay might seem preferable to a ten-page paper, writing short poses its own special challenges. Here, we’ll show you how to write a convincing short essay in five simple steps.

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What is a short essay?

A short essay is any type of essay condensed to its most important elements. There is no universal answer to what a short essay length is, but teachers generally assign short essays in the 250- to 750-word range, and occasionally up to 1,000 words.

Just because the essays are short doesn’t mean the subjects must be simple. One of the greatest challenges of short essays is distilling complex topics into a few telling words. Some examples of short essay topics are:

• The advantages and disadvantages of social media
• The pros and cons of online learning
• The influence of music on human emotions
• The role of artificial intelligence in modern life
• The ways that climate change affects daily life

Why write short essays?

Short essays have a number of advantages, including effective communication, critical thinking, and professional communication.

Effective communication: In the short essay, you don’t have the space to wander. Practicing short essays will help you learn how to articulate your message clearly and quickly.

Critical thinking: Writing a short essay demands the ability to think critically and identify key points that support the central thesis. Short essays will help you hone your ability to find the most relevant points and shed irrelevant information.

Professional communication: Whether it’s writing a persuasive email, a project proposal, or a succinct report, the ability to convey information effectively in a brief format is a valuable skill in the professional world.

Developing writing skills: As with all writing practice, short essays provide an excellent platform for you to refine your writing skills, such as grammar, sentence structure , vocabulary, and coherence. The more you practice crafting short essays, the more your overall writing proficiency improves.

How to write a short essay

The tactics you use for longer essays apply to short essays as well. For more in-depth guides on specific types of essays, you can read our posts on persuasive , personal , expository , compare-and-contrast , and argumentative essays. Regardless of the essay type, following these five steps will make writing your short essay much easier.

Don’t be afraid of learning too much about a subject when you have a small word count. The better you understand your subject, the easier it will be to write clearly about it.

2 Generate ideas

Jot down key points, arguments, or examples that you want to include in your essay. Don’t get too wrapped up in the details during this step. Just try to get down all of the big ideas that you want to get across. Your major argument or theme will likely emerge as you contemplate.

Outlines are especially helpful for short essays because you don’t have any room for excess information. Creating an outline will help you stay on topic when it comes time to write.

You have to actually write the essay. Once you’ve done your research, developed your big ideas, and outlined your essay, the writing will come more easily.

Naturally, our favorite part of the process is the editing . The hard part (writing) is done. Now you can go back through and make sure all of your word choices make sense, your grammar is checked, and you have cleaned up any unessential or irrelevant information.

Short essay examples

Why small dogs are better than big dogs (209 words).

Small dogs are beloved companions to many, and their unique qualities make them a perfect fit for some pet owners. In this essay, we explore why a small dog might be the right choice for you.

Firstly, the compact size of small dogs makes them ideal for people living in apartments or homes with limited space. As long as you can get your furry friend to fresh air (and grass) a couple of times per day, you don’t have to worry about having a big yard.

Secondly, small dogs require less food, which can be advantageous for those on a budget.

Small dogs are also easier to handle and control. Walks and outdoor activities become less physically demanding, making them a preferable choice for children, the elderly, or those with limited strength.

If you travel a lot for work or family, small dogs are much easier to bring along than their larger counterparts. Some travel companies make dog carriers that tuck neatly under a bus or plane seat.

In conclusion, small dogs offer a multitude of benefits, from their limited space requirements and economic advantages to their ease of handling and portability. These charming qualities undoubtedly make small dogs a cherished choice for pet owners seeking a new companion.

Why big dogs are better than small dogs (191 words)

Big dogs, with their impressive presence and gentle souls, have captured the hearts of countless pet owners. In this essay, we explore why big dogs are better pets than their smaller counterparts.

Firstly, big dogs exude an aura of protectiveness and security. Their size alone can act as a deterrent to potential intruders, making them excellent guard dogs for families and properties. Their mere presence provides reassurance and safety.

Secondly, big dogs tend to have more energy and strength, making them suitable partners for various outdoor activities and adventures. Hiking, jogging, or simply playing fetch becomes an enjoyable experience, fostering an active and healthy lifestyle for both pet and owner.

Lastly, big dogs often have a gentle and patient demeanor, especially when interacting with children and other pets. Their calm nature can bring a peaceful or grounding presence to otherwise chaotic homes.

In conclusion, big dogs possess a captivating blend of commanding protectiveness, physical capacity, and gentle disposition. These qualities make them exceptional companions, providing both security and emotional fulfillment. Big dogs are a great choice for potential pet owners looking for an animal with majestic appeal and a loving heart.

Short essay FAQs

A short essay is any essay that is shorter than 1,000 words. Teachers often assign short essays to teach students how to write clearly, coherently, and concisely.

When do you write a short essay?

Short essays help students practice effective communication, critical thinking, and persuasive writing. While short essays are often assigned in school, they are also useful in professional settings for things like project proposals or reports.

How do you format a short essay?

Short essays should be formatted according to your teacher’s guidelines or the requirements of your workplace. Check your assignment for the word count and stick to it. Make sure your essay flows logically from one idea to the next by presenting a clear thesis, using strong topic sentences, and providing a concise conclusion.

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What are the parts of an essay, how do i write an introduction, how do i write the body of my essay, how do i write the conclusion, how do i create a reference list, how do i improve my essay.

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• Introduction
• Each is made up of one or several paragraphs.
• The purpose of this section is to introduce the topic and why it matters, identify the specific focus of the paper, and indicate how the paper will be organized.
• To keep from being too broad or vague, try to incorporate a keyword from your title in the first sentence.
• For example, you might tell readers that the issue is part of an important debate or provide a statistic explaining how many people are affected.  
• Defining your terms is particularly important if there are several possible meanings or interpretations of the term.
• Try to frame this as a statement of your focus. This is also known as a purpose statement, thesis argument, or hypothesis.
• The purpose of this section is to provide information and arguments that follow logically from the main point you identified in your introduction. 
• Identify the main ideas that support and develop your paper’s main point.
• For longer essays, you may be required to use subheadings to label your sections.
• Point: Provide a topic sentence that identifies the topic of the paragraph.
• Proof: Give evidence or examples that develop and explain the topic (e.g., these may come from your sources).
• Significance: Conclude the paragraph with sentence that tells the reader how your paragraph supports the main point of your essay.
• The purpose of this section is to summarize the main points of the essay and identify the broader significance of the topic or issue.
• Remind the reader of the main point of your essay (without restating it word-for-word).
• Summarize the key ideas that supported your main point. (Note: No new information or evidence should be introduced in the conclusion.) 
• Suggest next steps, future research, or recommendations.
• Answer the question “Why should readers care?” (implications, significance).
• Find out what style guide you are required to follow (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) and follow the guidelines to create a reference list (may be called a bibliography or works cited).
• Be sure to include citations in the text when you refer to sources within your essay.
• Cite Your Sources - University of Guelph
• Read assignment instructions carefully and refer to them throughout the writing process.
• e.g., describe, evaluate, analyze, explain, argue, trace, outline, synthesize, compare, contrast, critique.
• For longer essays, you may find it helpful to work on a section at a time, approaching each section as a “mini-essay.”
• Make sure every paragraph, example, and sentence directly supports your main point.
• Aim for 5-8 sentences or ¾ page.
• Visit your instructor or TA during office hours to talk about your approach to the assignment.
• Leave yourself time to revise your essay before submitting.
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• Writing: The 4 Basic Parts of an Essay

by Mark Pedrin | Sep 23, 2024

Academic Writing: The 4 Basic Parts of an Essay –

Writing a clear, convincing essay is an important English skill, whether it’s for school, college, online articles, or many other purposes. Because every culture and language family has its preferred ways of organizing and presenting ideas in writing, it Is important to know the expectations of your audience before you start to put words down on paper. Even when you’re a great writer in your first language, that skill does not always translate perfectly to a new environment.

What are some key features that essay readers in American schools, colleges, and universities look for? This article highlights the essentials you must know to craft an argumentative essay that stands out from the crowd.

As a first step, here are some basic definitions:

Essay.  An essay is a short written piece about a topic that shares an opinion or seeks to understand the topic more fully.  Essays are not simply ‘informational’; the writer’s unique perspective, interests, and experience are central to their content and impact.

Essays are always personal. Just as a favorite family recipe is an expression of the home cook who created it, essays express their writers’ personalities in unique ways.

Photo by Mika Baumeister

Argumentative Essay. The words ‘argument’ and ‘argumentative’ are related, but quite different—arguments are usually considered a bad thing in polite conversation, but argumentation in an essay is central to good writing.

In an argumentative essay, the author presents an opinion and supports it with well-reasoned evidence and examples. Often argumentation essays are persuasive: they aim to convince the reader to appreciate (and possibly even agree with) the author’s point of view. Argumentative essays are one of the most common essay forms in American schools and universities.

Thesis. A thesis statement is a sentence that provides a short, clearly-worded summary of the author’s opinion about a limited topic. It should almost always be located within the introduction of your argumentative essay.

I often tell students that their thesis statement is the  heart of their essay: a healthy thesis provides benefit to every other part of the essay, just as a healthy heart provides benefit to the whole human body. Conversely, organizing your writing around an unclear, unhealthy thesis statement means that your whole essay will suffer from poor health.

Take a look at the following sample essay.  The first paragraph provides the author’s personal opinion about the topic of ‘House Pets.’ The middle paragraphs offer three different arguments to support this opinion, and the final paragraph summarizes all the information.

Hover over highlighted text to learn more.

Man’s Best Friend? A good essay title invites the reader to learn more about the topic. This title awakens the reader’s curiosity: what could ‘man’s best friend’ be?

Dogs may be “man’s best friend,” but they are not the only domestic animals capable of forming close relationships with people in their lives. The first sentence of the essay ‘hooks’ the reader by saying something interesting. This essay starts with a famous quotation that the reader has likely heard before. It also provides a surprise twist: this essay is not actually about dogs, but rather cats. For many, a cat makes for an equally wonderful companion. Cats are friendly, well-mannered, and surprisingly easy to care for. This sentence previews the three arguments that will support the writer’s main opinion (thesis), which is found in the following sentence. Despite what some dog enthusiasts may argue, cats make excellent house pets. A good thesis statement is a short, clear opinion. It’s generally found toward the end of the first paragraph of your essay.

First, cats provide great companionship. The first sentence of each body paragraph proves a clear summary of an argument that supports the writer’s opinion. This is followed by 2 or 3 specific examples that show the argument is strong. Many cats are affectionate and enjoy cuddling with their owners, often curling up on laps with a comforting purr.  At the end of a long day, stroking a cat’s soft fur provides fantastic stress relief. When they’re not being affectionate, cats are usually quite playful. They love to chase laser pointers and strings, or to sneak-attack their favorite toys, which can be hilariously entertaining for the whole family. Contrary to popular belief, Transition phrases like this help connect examples so the reader is never confused about what is happening. cats can also be trained. Like dogs, they can learn tricks such as fetching, shaking hands, or sitting on command (though they may need a bit of extra encouragement).

In addition to being loving companions, cats are also very polite members of the household. The first sentence of each body paragraph proves a clear summary of an argument that supports the writer’s opinion (the thesis). Cats don’t bark and rarely howl or make loud noises, which is a bonus for people who prefer a quieter living environment. They usually communicate through soft meows or purrs. Cats are also easy to house-train, as they instinctively know how to use a litter box. Even cats who were not properly socialized as kittens will usually catch on quickly with a little training. One reasonable concern with cats is potential damage to furniture from scratching, but providing a scratching post or pad is usually sufficient to redirect this instinctual need. The author’s argument is strengthened by addressing a possible problem with owning a cat.

Another reason cats are fantastic house pets is their minimal care requirements. The first sentence of each body paragraph proves a clear summary of an argument that supports the writer’s opinion (the thesis). Unlike dogs, cats don’t need to be taken on daily walks. They are content getting exercise indoors, whether by running around, chasing toys, or exploring the furniture. Additionally, Transition words like this help connect examples so the reader is never confused about what is happening. cats take care of their own grooming, rarely needing a bath. Their natural cleanliness makes them one of the lowest-maintenance pets. You can also leave a cat alone for several hours without worrying about them causing trouble—they tend to nap, explore, or play quietly while waiting for their owner’s return.

Thanks for spending time with these key parts of an essay, I hope it was helpful!

For more great writing tips, take a look at  Essential Writing Skills for College and Beyond (available on Amazon)

Another great way to improve your writing is to spend more time reading!  This article I wrote has some great suggestions: Book Recommendations – American Immigrant Stories

Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you. Recommended resources are carefully selected and help support the operation of my blog, so thank you for clicking!

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