THE EXPOSITORY ESSAY

What to Know

Activity 1: At the Movies

Think about movies for a moment. Now write down as many different types

of movies (genres) as you can in 1 minute.

We will put them on the board.

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

At the Movies, Part 2

Using your list of movie categories, write down as many examples of the different genres as you can.

For example: Science Fiction – Star Wars

What to Know Before Writing an Expository Essay

The difference between general and specific topics

Good organizational strategies How to write a thesis sentence (topic

sentence)

Cause and EffectCompare and Contrast

DescriptiveProcess Narration

Problem and Solution

Types of Expository Essays

Cause and Effect

The cause and effect essay shows the relationship between an action and a result.

(Very similar to Newton’s Law: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction)

Example: Running a red light might help to cause an accident, though other facts -- pedestrians or other cars in the intersection -- must also be present.

Compare and Contrast

This essay compares the relevant similarities and differences between two people, places, things, or ideas.

Example: Although the Twillight characters Edward Cullen and Jacob Black may seem very different, they have more in common than either one realizes.

Descriptive

A descriptive essay describes the characteristics of something.

Example: While the controls of a 747 aircraft may look complicated, they’re actually very easy to understand.

Process Narration

Explains how an event unfolds, usually in chronological order.

Problem and Solution

This essay is a special type of descriptive writing that discusses a problem and potential solutions.

Writing a Topic Sentence

You will need a partner for this activity. Write a topic sentence for EACH type of

expository writing: cause and effect, compare and contrast, descriptive, process narration, and problem and solution.

The sentences must be narrow and specific.

Be prepared to share them with the class when you are done.