how to write essay grade 12

ESSAYS GRADE 12 NOTES - LITERATURE STUDY GUIDE
The structure of an essay
Steps to writing an essay in the exams
Narrative essays
Descriptive essays
Reflective essays
Discursive essays
Argumentative essays
Writing an essay from a picture
Essay checklist
What is expected from you in the exam

To write a successful exam essay, you need to give yourself time to plan your ideas and write a draft. Once you have edited and corrected your draft, your final essay should be a well-structured and interesting piece of writing. In this section, you will learn how to express yourself using the rules that will earn you marks in the final Grade 12 exam.

1. All about essays

1.1 the structure of an essay.

An essay must have an introduction, a body and a conclusion.

Introduction The introduction is the first paragraph of an essay. It should catch the reader’s attention and suggest what the essay is about (the topic).

Body The longest part of an essay is the body of the essay. It is divided into paragraphs. Each paragraph usually contains one main idea about the essay topic.

Conclusion The last paragraph in an essay is the conclusion. It brings the essay to an end. No new information is given in the conclusion, but it often brings together some key points or ideas.

Coherent - expressed in a clear way that is easily understood
Logical order - Arranging information so that the points follow each other in an order that makes sense.

Essay structure

1.2 Steps for writing an essay in the exams

There are four main steps involved in writing an exam essay:

Step 1: Choose your topic and type of essay Step 2: Plan your essay Step 3: Write and edit your draft essay Step 4: Write your final essay

Step 1: Choose your topic and type of essay Topic In the essay section of the exam, there will be about eight topics. You need to choose one of these topics on which to write your essay. You only need to write one essay.

Essay type A particular topic may suit one type of essay better than another type of essay. For example, if a topic asks whether you agree or disagree, then use the argumentative essay type. The table below shows brief descriptions of the five essay types. See pages 9 to 38 for more information on each essay type.


1		It tells a story; will have the word story in the topic; has characters, setting, plot
2		It describes an experience, an event or a place
3		It shows how you think or feel about a topic. It shows your emotions, hopes and dreams
4		It must present BOTH sides of an issue based on the topic.
5		It must support ONE side of an issue based on the topic

Hint:

Choosing an essay topic in the exam

Step 2: Plan your essay Decide which type of essay you think is most suitable for the essay topic. Remind yourself of the features of this type of essay. Plan your essay by writing down your ideas for the content of the essay. The content refers to the main ideas (points or details) in your essay – what it is mainly about. It must be relevant to the topic. Once you have written down a few ideas, you can organise them by numbering them. This will show the order of your paragraphs for the structure of your essay. There are many different ways to plan an essay. For example, you could use a mind map. Use the planning method that works best for you. There are examples of planning tools on pages 5 and 6.

Essay content planning

Ways to plan an essay

A plan helps you think about what ideas you want to include in your essay. It also helps you put your ideas into a clear structure. You will earn marks for showing your planning. You can use a mind map or an ideas list to plan your essay.

An essay must be between 250 to 300 words long.

Hint:
Essay proofreading and editing

The way you write your essay creates a style of writing. The words you chose and the length of your sentences are two examples of how a writing style is created.
Think about your audience to help you chose the right register for your essay. Register can be formal. For example; if your audience is a teacher or informal if your andience is for example a friend.
The tone of the essay is the feling the write gives the writing. For example, the tone could be playful or serious.

Step 4: Write your final essay Write your final essay by rewriting your draft. Make sure that you make all the changes you marked in your draft so that your final essay has no mistakes and clearly expresses all your best ideas. When you have finished your final essay, cross out your planning and draft essay. If you do not do this, the examiner may mark your draft and not your final essay.

Hint:
Final essay

2. The five essay types

There are different types or genres of essays. Each type is written for a different purpose. To prepare for the exam, you need to revise how to write five types of essay:

The main features of each type of essay and guidelines for writing each type of essay are given in this section. To prepare for the exam, practice writing the different types of essays.

2.1 Narrative essays

A narrative essay tells a story or describes a sequence of events. It can be written from any perspective (first person or third person narrative). The first person narrator will use the pronouns “I” or “we”, while the third person narrator will use pronouns such as “he”, “she”, “they” and “them”. A narrative essay can include dialogue (speech between characters in the story) and often includes interesting descriptions. This helps the reader to imagine what is happening, so the story comes alive.

Hint:

A learner’s example of a narrative essay using the four steps Step 1: Choose the topic and type of essay

This learner chose this essay topic because it fitted a narrative essay type: I am an old desk in a classroom and this is my story…

Note: Write a narratiove if the word "story" is in the description. Always give your essay a title.

Step 4: Write the final essay Note: By including her edits from her draft essay, the learner greatly improved her final essay.

I am an old desk in a classroom and this is my story…
Hello there! My name is Pine. I am an old, broken-down desk, situated at the back of a science classroom. Nobody sits on me anymore. My bits and pieces are scattered around the whole school.
You may think that I am kind of silly-looking and old. In fact, I am very special; legends have sat on me. You don’t know them all but one may stand out in particular – Mark Shuttleworth! He makes my wooden heart beat stronger with pride and he makes me forget about back pain… caused by those rotten, rusted nails!
The other legends you won’t know, but they stayed special to me. I felt their pain when they failed a test. My age- lines grinned and smiled and rejoiced with them when they excelled! I know they made it far and move forests today, but as for me …
I am still here …
The engravings on my head show my life’s story. The story of loneliness. Frustration. Excitement. Pain. (Notice the word “pain” is very similar to my name). And of course, love…
Did I mention that I am a double desk? A desk for two? I have seen all kinds of love: childish love, forbidden love and great love. I know everything there is to know about
science because I have learned it over and over again. But, I don’t understand love.
Love is mystical. Love is kind. Love is blind …
I see the new generations grow older. They grow bolder. They will always be stronger. And my heart grows fonder … Maybe I really know what love is.

word count: 262

Main features of a narrative essay that are shown in this learner’s story


Characters	Pine, learners (including famous people), and lovers, who used the desk
Plot	The story has a strong story line. The desk remembers people who have used it, and how they made it feel. It ends with the climax - as the desk realises that it loves learners who use it.
Setting	The science classroom.
Theme	The movement of learners through the classroom - they move on as they grow up, but the desk remains. The meaning of love.
Structure	From the past to the present, looking ahead to the future; from the concrete to the abstract.
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting words are used, for example: age-lines, legends, scattered move forests, rejoice, excelled, rotten, frustration, forbidden love, mystical. Short sentences and paragraphs add impact.

Activity: Writing a narrative essay

Here are some narrative essay topics to help you to practice your writing skills:

Write a story that includes the following words: Suddenly there was absolute silence... NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be included somewhere in your essay.
Write a story that begins with the following words: It was the greatest day of my life. NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be used in the first sentence of your introduction.

2.2 Descriptive essays

In a descriptive essay, the writer describes an experience, an event, a situation, an object or a person. The purpose is to allow the reader to imagine what is being described as clearly as possible. Writing a descriptive essay is like creating a picture with words, rather than telling a story.

Hint:
In a descriptive essay, you must describe an experience or event

A learner’s example of a descriptive essay using the four steps

Step 1: Choose the topic and type of essay

This learner chose this essay topic because it fitted a descriptive essay type: The scene in the waiting area of a clinic OR a doctor’s surgery. Note; The word scene in the topic sentence suggests that a descriptive essay is appropriate for this topic

A clinic waiting area is possibly one of the most awkward places to be. You come in through the door, go to reception to tell the friendly lady that you are here for an appointment with the doctor and as you go to take a seat, you politely nod to all the other people.
With all this friendliness you would think that some people would be talking to each other, but for some unknown reason there is a silence among the adults. The only voices you hear are the receptionists talking on the phone and the little kid who is nagging his mum if he can go build a puzzle or play with the toys.
A few characters will always be found in the waiting area. For example, there will almost always be a kid with a sports injury accompanied by his hysterical mother. And then there’s also the person with flu-like symptoms even in the middle of the summer.
And lastly, there is the person who just calmly sits and reads one of the magazines that are three years old, but appear to be in perfect condition.
As you sit there in your boredom unable to figure out what could be wrong with the calm and collected man, you decide to read one of those magazines. ‘Home and Décor’ is the magazine closest to you, ironically enough, since you find this magazine in a clinic which is coloured pale green and grey, but you decide to read through it anyway. And at that moment when you find a great article, you hear the receptionist calling, “Mr.. ………, could you follow me to the doctor's office, please?"

word count: 271

Main features of a descriptive essay that are shown in this learner’s essay


Characters	Receptionist, the child, the mother, other people waiting in the queue
Plot	Description and observation of events from the moment of registration with the receptionist up to the point where the patient is called to see the doctor.
Setting	The waiting area of the clinic.
Theme	Awkwardness of being in a small public space with strangers.
Structure	The events move from the arrival up to the point when the doctor is ready to see the patient.
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting words are used, for example; hysterical, flu-like symptoms, calm and collected man, coloured pale green and grey.

Activity: Writing a descriptive essay Here are some descriptive essay topics to help you to practise your writing skills:

Write an essay on the following topic: Life with my neighbors
Write an essay on the following topic : It was a dream come true! NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be included somewhere in your essay.
Write an essay on the following topic : An amazing performance.

2.3 Reflective essays

A reflective essay is written to explain what the writer thinks, and/or feels, about an object, an idea, a situation or an experience. It is subjective (based on the writer’s personal experience) and uses first person pronouns (“I”, “we”, “us”). A reflective essay usually includes the writer’s emotional reactions or feelings. It could be about, for example, a dream, your hopes for the future or a past event.

A learner’s example of a reflective essay using the four steps

Step 1: Choose the topic and type of essay This learner chose this essay topic because it fitted a reflective essay type: Things I would like to achieve by the time I am 30. A reflective essay will be about what you think and feel about a topic. It shows your emotions, hopes and dreams.

Step 4: Write the final essay

Note: Leave a line between each paragraph to make your essay easy to read.

There are a number of things success is not. It’s not money or power, although I have to admit these do have a certain ring to them. Success is bounding out of the door in the mornings because you can’t bear to contain the excitement of going to work (a bit pretentious, but you get the point). Success is bringing together people with universal dreams and inspiring the people you work with to walk the extra mile.
I want that – I want success. I used to sit in front of the television watching ‘Pinki and the Brain’ and every single day Pinki asked Brain, “What are we going to do today?” and Brain would answer with such determination, “Today we’ll conquer the world”. I guess it must have brainwashed me somehow, for now I strive for the same thing.
You know how they say that people reach their prime when they reach 30, “just enough ignorance still to have energy and just enough smarts to use the energy wisely”. At 30,
* intend †o be confidently walking †o †he door of my office, marked “Senior Auditor”. Never once have I dreamt about the whole suburban living, a white picket fence with two- poin†-five angelic children. No, * dream of making a name for myself on the corporate ladder.
This isn’t some futile dream I’ll give up half way through. I’ll reach the top and I know this because dreamers have to be doers in order to be achievers. Recently deceased Steve Jobs once said, “Those who are crazy enough to think they can conquer the world are the ones who usually do.”

word count: 260

Main features of a reflective essay that are shown in this learner’s essay


Characters	The speaker (the writer) is the main person in this story, as it is about personal hopes and dreams. Steve Jobs is quoted as an inspiring person.
Introduction	The writer introduces the main idea for the essay - "success".
Body	The writer's viewpoint is supported by examples of what personal success means to the writer.
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting words are used, for example; success is bounding out of the door, universal dreams, walks the extra mile, conquer the world, brainwashed, a white picket fence with two-point0five angelic children.

Activity: Writing a reflective essay

Here are some reflective essay topics to help you to practise your writing skills:

Write an essay that includes the following words: ‘I wish I hadn’t ...’ NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be included somewhere in your essay.
Write an essay that includes the following words: As I looked at that photograph ... NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be included somewhere in your essay.
Write an essay that includes the following words: This experience has made me realise that ... NOTE: The words given in the topic MUST be included somewhere in your essay.

2.4 Discursive essays

The word “discursive” comes from the word “discourse” which means the sharing of thoughts and ideas. A discursive essay presents both sides of an argument. Its purpose is to tell the reader about various sides of a topic. This could be the advantages and disadvantages of something, or the reasons for or against a particular point of view. It must be objective (looking at both sides equally), and give a balanced view. In the conclusion, the writer usually gives a summary of the main points, and suggests, or recommends, some action or way forward. In the conclusion, the writer may state the opinion, or view, with which he or she personally agrees. However, the reasons for that decision must be clearly shown in the essay.

Objective - giving a general point of view

Hint:
hint In a discursive essay, you must show both sides of the topic

A learner’s example of a discursive essay using the four steps

Step 1: Choose the topic and type of essay This learner chose this essay topic because it fitted a discursive essay type: Freedom of choice has both advantages and disadvantages Discuss this statement.

In a discursive essay you must present BOTH sides of an issue. For example, the advantages AND disadvantages of a topic.

South Africa has become one of the most democratic countries in Africa. We, as South Africans, are privileged to be able
to enjoy many rights that enable us to live freely and democratically in our country. One of the many rights we share is the freedom of choice. All citizens are free to choose whatever they want to eat, wear and listen to, among other choices. However, freedom of choice has both advantages and disadvantages.
Freedom of choice gives one a sense of individuality. Nothing feels as satisfyingly good as being able to make our own choices without being obliged to satisfy the government or anybody else. It prevents people from entering into situations that are uncomfortable for them and instead allows them to make choices that suit their own needs. Knowing that you are no† restricted by anything is definitely an advantage.
However, there are not always advantages to having freedom of choice. The fact that all citizens have the freedom to make their own choices can be dangerous. The choices people make are not always good and tend to violate other people’s rights as well. Perhaps the most common example would be the freedom a woman has to choose to terminate a pregnancy. It has been argued that by this choice, an unborn baby’s right to life is violated, besides the fact that the woman also puts her own health in danger.
There are pros and cons to everything. Nothing is ever completely and comfortably positive. It has become clear that while freedom of choice is great, we cannot be sure that it has not come with its own disadvantages. It seems right to conclude that it is every citizen’s responsibility to exercise his or her freedom of choice wisely. After all, every right comes with a responsibility.

Word count: 300


Content	The writer presents two sides of the argument, and makes a judgement at the end of the essay
Introduction	The writer introduces the main idea for the essay - freedom of choice.
Body	The writer presents both the advantages and disadvantages of freedom of choice. The writer organises the paragraphs by presenting arguments for, followed by arguments against, the topic. The concluding line shows the writer's personal view.
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting words are used, for example; Freedom of choice gives one a sense of individuality; the choices people make are not always good and tend to violate other people's rights as well; an unborn baby's right to life is being violated; nothing is ever completely and comfortably positive.

Activity: Writing a discursive essay

Here are some descriptive essay topics to help you to practise your writing skills:

Sport can unite or divide people. Discuss your views.
Do subjects offered at school prepare you for life? Discuss your views.
Wearing school uniform is very important. Do you agree? Discuss your views on wearing school uniform.

2.5 Argumentative essays

In an argumentative essay, the writer expresses his or her opinion or viewpoint on a topic. The purpose of the essay is to try to convince, or persuade, the reader to agree with that opinion. The writer’s opinion about the topic is clear throughout the essay. It is a subjective essay, and strong personal opinions may be expressed.

In an argumentative essay, you must express your personal opinion about the topic

In an argumentative essay you must take a stand on a topic and then support your point of view.

A learner’s example of an argumentative essay using the four steps

Step 1: Choose the topic and type of essay This learner chose this essay topic because it fitted an argumentative essay type: Today young people are influenced more by their friends than by their parents. Do you agree?

Step 2: Plan the essay This learner used a list to plan her essay.

Step 3: Write and edit the draft essay

Today Young People Are More Influenced By Their
Friends than by Their Parents
Are young people influenced more by their peers than their parents? In a modern world, most certainly! Rapid change has taken place over the past 10 years in our modern world. Family values and norms have a question mark behind them. Parenthood is not exactly what it used to be.
How can you explain why a grade seven boy would share a cigarette with his friends in a portable toilet on the school premises? A number of factors need to be considered to explain such actions: peer pressure, growing population numbers and time.
There are definitely many factors that contribute †o †he influence of peers dwarfing †he influence of parents on youth. One reason is the number of people in the world. With growing populations, it is becoming more difficult †o be unique and special. This is a big problem for teenagers, because they want to be seen and recognised. Peer influences provide a solution where parent influences do not. By doing what †heir friends want to do, youth make their voices heard. Peers: 1 Parents: 0.
Another big contributor †o peer influence is †time. Teenagers spend much more time with their friends. Apart from the time spent together at school, many afternoons are spent together watching television. It is thus obvious that much more time
is spent with friends than with family. The more time spent with peers, †he more influence †hey have on youths. Peers: 2 Parents: 0.
*I† is thus understandable why so many youths are influencing by their friends. The facts show that in a modern society, this movement is inevitable. But it does not excuse any form of misbehavior against parents. It most certainly does not excuse parents from doing their job.

Word count: 282

Main features of an argumentative essay that are shown in this learner's essay


Content	The writer begins with a general statement and moves on to explain her point of view. The viewpoint is supported with good reasons.
Introduction	The writer introduces the main idea for the essay by giving some background to the topic.
Body	The writer supports her viewpoint with examples. Related facts are combined within paragraphs. Use is made of connecting words to back up the argument. For example, How else can you explain; but; thus
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting words are used. For example, values and norms; peers; dwarfing the influence of parents; in a modern society this movement is inevitable.

Activity: Writing an argumentative essay

Here are some argumentative essay topics to help you to practise your writing skills:

Most teenagers today do not pay much attention to leading a healthy life. Do you agree?
Technology has changed the lives of teenagers. Do you agree?
Should alcohol and cigarettes be advertised in the mass media? Discuss your views.

2.6 Writing an essay from a picture

There is always a question in the exam that asks you to write an essay based on a picture. You only need to write an essay about ONE of the pictures. Choose which picture you are going to write about. Then you need to decide what type of essay you are going to write. The content of your essay must link with the picture. Looking closely at the picture, identify information you can use in your essay. For example, the picture below shows a man who is:

Laughing/smiling
Dressed smartly in a shirt and tie
Holding a baby
Speaking/listening on the telephone
Writing something in a book/diary

There are five different types of essay that could be written about this picture, as shown below.

	1. A narrative essay
	2. A reflective essay
	3. A descriptive essay
	4. A discursive essay
	5. An argumentative essay

A learner’s example of an essay from a picture using the four steps

Time had always been her biggest obstacle. Bigger than the rocks she had to climb over to get to the river – the only escape she had from her troubled surroundings. Bigger than the barrels of water she had to carry on her head, when it felt like the heat of the sun was going to consume her frail body. Bigger than the weight she felt lying on her body after the sun had gone to bed and her mother laid her head to rest after the long day.
Time was strange and unkind to her in many ways. It always ran away whenever she enjoyed something, like a midnight swim in the river or the hours spent learning at school. Yet it always seemed to linger longer when her deepest wish was to escape from her current situation.
Time. Some call it a gift. She calls it a jail that keeps her caught up in a routine of wishing it away but wanting to hold onto it for just a while longer. The hands that point out the time, point at her in return. They point out what happened in the past, constantly reminding her of her own weakness.
Seconds become minutes. Minutes become hours. Her redemption seems light years away, while the past feels so close that she can smell the burnt food on the gas burner mixing with the smell of sweat and her own fear.
Although years have passed, sometimes she feels six years old again. She hears the door open just as it did many times in the past and she wishes that time would grant her one last favour – to turn the hours into minutes and the minutes into seconds. Seconds away from freedom is where she still longs to be.

Word count: 297


Content	The writer has interpreted the picture in a figurative way. That is, the watch reminds the writer of time and how it is linked to the events in someone's life.
Introduction	The writer introduces the main idea for the essay by giving some background to the topic - time
Body	In each paragraph, the writer talks about a different aspects of time in the woman's life; and how it did not work in her favour - it was a jail, not a gift. The essay ends with the character wishing that time would go faster, so she can escape from her current situation and be free of her past.
Creative use of language	Strong, interesting figurative language is used, for example: the metaphor ' hands of time' can refer to the watch as well as to what happens to the character in the story. Alliteration is used in 'linger longer' to emphasise the slow passing of time.

Activity: Writing an essay from a picture

2.7 essay checklist.


Essay instructions	I understand the exam instructions for writing an essay.
Essay topic	I understand the essay topic I have chosen.
Essay type	I understand the features of the essay type I have chosen:

Planning	I can show evidence of essay planning.
Content	Each point in my plan is relevant to the essay topic. I will use these points in my essay.
Purpose/audience	I understand the purpose of the essay type I have chosen. I understand the audience for the essay type I have chosen.

Sentences	I have not repeated sentences in my paragraphs, I have used full sentences.
Paragraphs	My ideas link and are well organised in paragraphs. Each paragraph contains a new idea. Ideas are not repeated. The ideas in the paragraphs link to the essay topic.
Essay structure	The first paragraph of my essay introduces the topic. The body of my essay has a few paragraphs related to the topic. The last paragraph is clearly the conclusion or ending of the essay.

Choice of words/diction	I have chosen my words carefully to make my essay interesting.
Verb tenses	I have used the correct tenses (past, present or future)
Concord	My nouns and verbs are in agreement
Spelling	My spelling is correct
Punctuation	My sentences start with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark. I have used apostrophes correctly.

3. What is expected from you in the exam?

In the exam, you must write one essay that is no less than 250 and no more than 300 words long (about 1 to 1 1/2 pages). The essay is worth 50 marks out of 100 marks in the exam - half the total marks for Paper 3. Examiners will give marks for your essay based on:

Content and planning (30 marks)
Language, style and editing (15 marks)
Structure (5 marks)

The rubric on the next two pages is a table the examiners use to mark your essay. It shows the five levels of achievement that the examiners can award an essay, from the lowest achievement (Inadequate column) to the highest achievement (Exceptional column). The table also describes the skills the examiner looks for when marking. For example, when marking an essay’s content, the examiner will assess how well the ideas relate to the topic, and whether they are well planned and organised. The rubric is a useful guide for you to use when practising your essay writing because it reminds you of the skills the examiner will be assessing when marking your exam.


(Response and ideas) Organisation of ideas for planning; Awareness of purpose, audience and context 30 MARKS



Tone, register, style, vocabulary appropriate to purpose/effect and context; Word choice; Language use and conventions, punctuation, grammar, spelling 15 MARKS

	13	10	7	4

Features of text; Paragraph development and sentence construction	5	4	3	2	0-1

Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers

P LANNING, PARAGRAPHING AND POLISHING: FINE-TUNING THE PERFECT ESSAY

Essay writing is an essential skill for every student. Whether writing a particular academic essay (such as persuasive, narrative, descriptive, or expository) or a timed exam essay, the key to getting good at writing is to write. Creating opportunities for our students to engage in extended writing activities will go a long way to helping them improve their skills as scribes.

But, putting the hours in alone will not be enough to attain the highest levels in essay writing. Practice must be meaningful. Once students have a broad overview of how to structure the various types of essays, they are ready to narrow in on the minor details that will enable them to fine-tune their work as a lean vehicle of their thoughts and ideas.

In this article, we will drill down to some aspects that will assist students in taking their essay writing skills up a notch. Many ideas and activities can be integrated into broader lesson plans based on essay writing. Often, though, they will work effectively in isolation – just as athletes isolate physical movements to drill that are relevant to their sport. When these movements become second nature, they can be repeated naturally in the context of the game or in our case, the writing of the essay.

THE ULTIMATE NONFICTION WRITING TEACHING RESOURCE

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270 pages of the most effective teaching strategies
50+ digital tools ready right out of the box
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All explanations are reinforced with concrete examples.
Links to high-quality video tutorials
Clear objectives easy to match to the demands of your curriculum

Planning an essay

essay writing | how to prepare for an essay | Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers | literacyideas.com

The Boys Scouts’ motto is famously ‘Be Prepared’. It’s a solid motto that can be applied to most aspects of life; essay writing is no different. Given the purpose of an essay is generally to present a logical and reasoned argument, investing time in organising arguments, ideas, and structure would seem to be time well spent.

Given that essays can take a wide range of forms and that we all have our own individual approaches to writing, it stands to reason that there will be no single best approach to the planning stage of essay writing. That said, there are several helpful hints and techniques we can share with our students to help them wrestle their ideas into a writable form. Let’s take a look at a few of the best of these:

BREAK THE QUESTION DOWN: UNDERSTAND YOUR ESSAY TOPIC.

Whether students are tackling an assignment that you have set for them in class or responding to an essay prompt in an exam situation, they should get into the habit of analyzing the nature of the task. To do this, they should unravel the question’s meaning or prompt. Students can practice this in class by responding to various essay titles, questions, and prompts, thereby gaining valuable experience breaking these down.

Have students work in groups to underline and dissect the keywords and phrases and discuss what exactly is being asked of them in the task. Are they being asked to discuss, describe, persuade, or explain? Understanding the exact nature of the task is crucial before going any further in the planning process, never mind the writing process .

BRAINSTORM AND MIND MAP WHAT YOU KNOW:

Once students have understood what the essay task asks them, they should consider what they know about the topic and, often, how they feel about it. When teaching essay writing, we so often emphasize that it is about expressing our opinions on things, but for our younger students what they think about something isn’t always obvious, even to themselves.

Brainstorming and mind-mapping what they know about a topic offers them an opportunity to uncover not just what they already know about a topic, but also gives them a chance to reveal to themselves what they think about the topic. This will help guide them in structuring their research and, later, the essay they will write . When writing an essay in an exam context, this may be the only ‘research’ the student can undertake before the writing, so practicing this will be even more important.

RESEARCH YOUR ESSAY

The previous step above should reveal to students the general direction their research will take. With the ubiquitousness of the internet, gone are the days of students relying on a single well-thumbed encyclopaedia from the school library as their sole authoritative source in their essay. If anything, the real problem for our students today is narrowing down their sources to a manageable number. Students should use the information from the previous step to help here. At this stage, it is important that they:

● Ensure the research material is directly relevant to the essay task

● Record in detail the sources of the information that they will use in their essay

● Engage with the material personally by asking questions and challenging their own biases

● Identify the key points that will be made in their essay

● Group ideas, counterarguments, and opinions together

● Identify the overarching argument they will make in their own essay.

Once these stages have been completed the student is ready to organise their points into a logical order.

WRITING YOUR ESSAY

There are a number of ways for students to organize their points in preparation for writing. They can use graphic organizers , post-it notes, or any number of available writing apps. The important thing for them to consider here is that their points should follow a logical progression. This progression of their argument will be expressed in the form of body paragraphs that will inform the structure of their finished essay.

The number of paragraphs contained in an essay will depend on a number of factors such as word limits, time limits, the complexity of the question etc. Regardless of the essay’s length, students should ensure their essay follows the Rule of Three in that every essay they write contains an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Generally speaking, essay paragraphs will focus on one main idea that is usually expressed in a topic sentence that is followed by a series of supporting sentences that bolster that main idea. The first and final sentences are of the most significance here with the first sentence of a paragraph making the point to the reader and the final sentence of the paragraph making the overall relevance to the essay’s argument crystal clear.

Though students will most likely be familiar with the broad generic structure of essays, it is worth investing time to ensure they have a clear conception of how each part of the essay works, that is, of the exact nature of the task it performs. Let’s review:

Common Essay Structure

Introduction: Provides the reader with context for the essay. It states the broad argument that the essay will make and informs the reader of the writer’s general perspective and approach to the question.

Body Paragraphs: These are the ‘meat’ of the essay and lay out the argument stated in the introduction point by point with supporting evidence.

Conclusion: Usually, the conclusion will restate the central argument while summarising the essay’s main supporting reasons before linking everything back to the original question.

ESSAY WRITING PARAGRAPH WRITING TIPS

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● Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea

● Paragraphs should follow a logical sequence; students should group similar ideas together to avoid incoherence

● Paragraphs should be denoted consistently; students should choose either to indent or skip a line

● Transition words and phrases such as alternatively , consequently , in contrast should be used to give flow and provide a bridge between paragraphs.

HOW TO EDIT AN ESSAY

essay writing | essay editing tips | Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers | literacyideas.com

Students shouldn’t expect their essays to emerge from the writing process perfectly formed. Except in exam situations and the like, thorough editing is an essential aspect in the writing process.

Often, students struggle with this aspect of the process the most. After spending hours of effort on planning, research, and writing the first draft, students can be reluctant to go back over the same terrain they have so recently travelled. It is important at this point to give them some helpful guidelines to help them to know what to look out for. The following tips will provide just such help:

One Piece at a Time: There is a lot to look out for in the editing process and often students overlook aspects as they try to juggle too many balls during the process. One effective strategy to combat this is for students to perform a number of rounds of editing with each focusing on a different aspect. For example, the first round could focus on content, the second round on looking out for word repetition (use a thesaurus to help here), with the third attending to spelling and grammar.

Sum It Up: When reviewing the paragraphs they have written, a good starting point is for students to read each paragraph and attempt to sum up its main point in a single line. If this is not possible, their readers will most likely have difficulty following their train of thought too and the paragraph needs to be overhauled.

Let It Breathe: When possible, encourage students to allow some time for their essay to ‘breathe’ before returning to it for editing purposes. This may require some skilful time management on the part of the student, for example, a student rush-writing the night before the deadline does not lend itself to effective editing. Fresh eyes are one of the sharpest tools in the writer’s toolbox.

Read It Aloud: This time-tested editing method is a great way for students to identify mistakes and typos in their work. We tend to read things more slowly when reading aloud giving us the time to spot errors. Also, when we read silently our minds can often fill in the gaps or gloss over the mistakes that will become apparent when we read out loud.

Phone a Friend: Peer editing is another great way to identify errors that our brains may miss when reading our own work. Encourage students to partner up for a little ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’.

Use Tech Tools: We need to ensure our students have the mental tools to edit their own work and for this they will need a good grasp of English grammar and punctuation. However, there are also a wealth of tech tools such as spellcheck and grammar checks that can offer a great once-over option to catch anything students may have missed in earlier editing rounds.

essay writing | Perfect essay writing for students | Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers | literacyideas.com

Putting the Jewels on Display: While some struggle to edit, others struggle to let go. There comes a point when it is time for students to release their work to the reader. They must learn to relinquish control after the creation is complete. This will be much easier to achieve if the student feels that they have done everything in their control to ensure their essay is representative of the best of their abilities and if they have followed the advice here, they should be confident they have done so.

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ESSAY WRITING video tutorials

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Knowledge Base

The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples

An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.

There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.

The essay writing process consists of three main stages:

Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
Revision: Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.

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Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.

The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .

For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.

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Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:

Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
Do your research: Read primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
Come up with a thesis: The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.

The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.

1. Hook your reader

The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.

Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

2. Provide background on your topic

Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.

3. Present the thesis statement

Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:

As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.

4. Map the structure

In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.

The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Write your essay introduction

The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.

Length of the body text

The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.

Paragraph structure

To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.

That idea is introduced in a topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.

After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

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The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :

Returns to your thesis
Ties together your main points
Shows why your argument matters

A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.

What not to include in a conclusion

To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:

Including new arguments or evidence
Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

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Checklist: Essay

My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).

My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.

My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.

I use paragraphs to structure the essay.

I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.

Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.

I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.

My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.

I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.

I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.

I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.

My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .

My essay has an interesting and informative title.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (e.g. font, page numbers, line spacing).

Your essay meets all the most important requirements. Our editors can give it a final check to help you submit with confidence.

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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 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.

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 .

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.

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.

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.

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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Personal Narrative Essay

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Grade 12 ELA Module 1, Unit 3 - Full Unit
Grade 12 ELA Module 1, Unit 3 Overview

Bilingual Language Progressions

These resources, developed by the New York State Education Department, provide standard-level scaffolding suggestions for English Language Learners (ELLs) to help them meet grade-level demands. Each resource contains scaffolds at multiple levels of language acquisition and describes the linguistic demands of the standards to help ELA teachers as well as ESL/bilingual teachers scaffold content for their English learning students.

CCSS Standard:
L.11.12.1 ,
L.11.12.1A ,
L.11.12.1B ,
SL.11.12.4 ,
SL.11.12.6 ,
W.11.12.3A ,
W.11.12.3B ,
W.11.12.3C ,
W.11.12.3D ,
W.11.12.3E ,
W.11.12.4 ,
W.11.12.5 ,

In This Unit

lesson 1: Drafting Narrative Essay
lesson 2: Revising and Components of an Introduction
lesson 3: Narrative Techniques
lesson 4: Building Toward an Outcome
lesson 5: Precision, Language, and Voice
lesson 6: Peer Review
lesson 7: Final Drafts

Related Guides and Multimedia

Our professional learning resources include teaching guides, videos, and podcasts that build educators' knowledge of content related to the standards and their application in the classroom.

Building Fluency: Unbound A Guide to 6-12 ELA/Literacy Practices

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X-Kit Achieve!

In the final Grade 12 literature examination you will need to answer an essay question. Good planning is the key to success in a literature essay but in an exam, you will seldom have the time to do this so you need to be well prepared. It is important that you have read the novel more than once and have thought about it deeply, so that you will have all the information you need to construct a sound, well-supported response. Using Things Fall Apart as an example, here are some guidelines to help you write your literature essay. Let us look at a possible question: Okonkwo’s tragedy is that he is unable to adapt to changing circumstances . How valid do you believe this statement to be in the context of the novel as a whole ? In an essay of 350 ‑ 400 words , analyse the reasons that lead to Okonkwo’s tragic death. First, study the topic carefully and underline the most important aspects as shown. Once you know what you must focus on in your answer, you can plan your essay. Spend a few minutes planning your essay, so that you know how your argument will develop before you begin to write the essay. Structure of an essay: an introduction, a body and a conclusion.

Introduction	Opening paragraph
	While is it certainly true that Okonkwo finds it difficult to adapt to changing circumstances, it is simplistic to think that this is the only cause of his tragic death. These multiple reasons lie deep within his character, as well as in the circumstances of the changing world in which he lives.
Development	Body of essay
, , , , and . , and .	When writing the body of your essay, you should cover the following points. Influences on Okonkwo’s character development: Changes in Okonkwo’s environment: Okonkwo’s clash with colonial authority
Conclusion	Concluding paragraph
	It is thus clear that Okonkwo’s tragic death is brought about by many different factors, which cause him to become increasingly despondent. Ultimately, his suicide is a choice. In removing himself from a world in which he no longer has a place, he is retaining the initiative and cheating the colonial authorities of their victory. However, the cost of this is great, as he has broken an important taboo and will thus be denied the traditional rituals that he has fought so hard to preserve.

Remember these 5 points:

Never misspell the names of the characters.
Remember to use quotation marks when you quote from the novel.
Never misquote. Paraphrase in your own words if you cannot remember accurately.
Underline the question word as you go so that you know what to focus on in your answer.
After you have answered the question, reread your answers to check for careless spelling errors, and to see that you have written enough to justify the mark allocated.

Find more help in this great X-kit Achieve Literature Study Guide: X-kit Achieve Literature Series: Things Fall Apart Looking for Things Fall Apart in eBook format, visit http://shop.pearson.co.za/

How to write a perfect essay

Need to write an essay? Does the assignment feel as big as climbing Mount Everest? Fear not. You’re up to the challenge! The following step-by step tips from the Nat Geo Kids Almanac will help you with this monumental task.

Sometimes the subject matter of your essay is assigned to you, sometimes it’s not. Either way, you have to decide what you want to say. Start by brainstorming some ideas, writing down any thoughts you have about the subject. Then read over everything you’ve come up with and consider which idea you think is the strongest. Ask yourself what you want to write about the most. Keep in mind the goal of your essay. Can you achieve the goal of the assignment with this topic? If so, you’re good to go.

WRITE A TOPIC SENTENCE

This is the main idea of your essay, a statement of your thoughts on the subject. Again, consider the goal of your essay. Think of the topic sentence as an introduction that tells your reader what the rest of your essay will be about.

OUTLINE YOUR IDEAS

Once you have a good topic sentence, you then need to support that main idea with more detailed information, facts, thoughts, and examples. These supporting points answer one question about your topic sentence—“Why?” This is where research and perhaps more brainstorming come in. Then organize these points in the way you think makes the most sense, probably in order of importance. Now you have an outline for your essay.

ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, WRITE!

Follow your outline, using each of your supporting points as the topic sentence of its own paragraph. Use descriptive words to get your ideas across to the reader. Go into detail, using specific information to tell your story or make your point. Stay on track, making sure that everything you include is somehow related to the main idea of your essay. Use transitions to make your writing flow.

Finish your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your entire essay and 5 restates your main idea.

PROOFREAD AND REVISE

Check for errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar. Look for ways to make your writing clear, understandable, and interesting. Use descriptive verbs, adjectives, or adverbs when possible. It also helps to have someone else read your work to point out things you might have missed. Then make the necessary corrections and changes in a second draft. Repeat this revision process once more to make your final draft as good as you can.

Download the pdf .

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How to Write an Argumentative Essay for Grade 12 Final Examination

Are you searching for guidance on how to write an argumentative essay? Look no further! In this article, we will provide you with helpful examples and comprehensive explanations to assist you in mastering the art of argumentative essay writing.

An argumentative essay falls under the genre of writing that requires the writer to thoroughly examine a topic, gather, generate, and evaluate evidence, and present a clear perspective on the issue at hand.

While it may seem challenging at first, with practice, writing argumentative essays can become relatively easy. To effectively write an argumentative essay, it is crucial to have a strong argument as your chosen topic and the different structures to use. Further, you need cool tricks to help you to hack the exam.

Your argument should heavily rely on evidence and logic to convince your readers. However, it is worth noting that there is a slight degree of flexibility within the essay.

For instance, your thesis statement may include an opinion or a controversial idea. While it is important to support your opinion with facts, you can incorporate your own viewpoint in the essay without deviating from the essay’s objective.

Types of Argumentative Essays

Argumentative essays come in various forms. Understanding the different types will help you choose the most suitable approach for your topic. Let’s explore three common types of argumentative essays:

Rogerian Argumentative Essay: This type of essay is ideal for exploring controversial topics. Developed by Carl Rogers, the Rogerian style emphasizes maintaining a balanced perspective by considering both sides of the argument. Instead of favoring one opinion over another, the aim is to find a resolution that bridges the gap between the two. This approach promotes intellectual honesty and responsible thinking.
Classic Argumentative Essay: This type of essay aims to sway the reader to a specific point of view. Developed by Aristotle, it requires the presentation of claims, counterarguments, and an overall claim about the topic being argued. The goal is to convince the reader that your perspective is the most concise and factual.
Toulmin Argumentative Essay: In this type of essay, arguments are broken down into various elements to prove a point effectively. The key elements of a Toulmin argumentative essay include the claim, grounds, warrant, qualifier, rebuttal, and backing. Each element plays a crucial role in substantiating your argument and persuading your readers to take your side. This type of essay is particularly useful when there are multiple possible solutions to an argument. It also lends itself well to debates and discussions, as it presents both sides for consideration.

Tips on How to Make an Argumentative Essay

Writing an argumentative essay can be a daunting task, particularly if you are not accustomed to this style of writing. However, by following some simple guidelines, you can ensure that your essay is coherent, convincing, and well-received:

Choose a topic with strong talking points: Selecting a topic that offers robust arguments will make it easier for you to construct strong and coherent arguments. This will also help dictate the direction of your essay.
Use the correct tone: Many people mistakenly believe that assertiveness in argumentative essays equates to being aggressive and argumentative. However, this approach will not win you any points with your readers. Instead, aim to present convincing arguments calmly and clearly. The introduction section of your essay should be the platform for presenting your arguments, while the supporting information should be dispersed throughout the body of your essay.
Rely on factual statements: When presenting your arguments, it is crucial to base them on well-researched and thought-out facts. Factual evidence ensures that your arguments are reliable and credible. Opinions, while they can be included, should always be supported by factual research.
Maintain logical and concise arguments: To keep your readers engaged and enable them to follow your train of thought easily, it is important to present your arguments in a logical and concise manner. This will help them understand your perspective and reasoning.
Summarize relevant points in the conclusion: In the conclusion section of your essay, make sure to provide a clear and concise summary of all the relevant talking points. This will reinforce your main arguments and leave a lasting impression on your readers.
Thoroughly proofread your work: Typos and grammatical errors can significantly impact the quality and credibility of your essay. Hence, it is essential to proofread your work meticulously throughout the writing process.

By incorporating these tips into your writing process, you will be well on your way to creating a high-quality argumentative essay that is both easy to understand and compelling to your readers.

How to Create an Outline for Your Argumentative Essay

Now that you have a better understanding of the key tips for writing an argumentative essay, let’s delve into the process of creating an outline. This step-by-step guide will help you structure your essay effectively, even if you are a beginner:

Research your topic: Before diving into the writing process, conduct in-depth research to gather suitable evidence that supports your argument. Having a clear understanding of your topic beforehand will make it easier for you to structure your essay.
Introduction: Begin your essay by introducing the reader to the topic you will be discussing. The introductory paragraph serves as a hook to capture your readers’ interest. Ensure that your introduction is easy to understand, providing a brief background on the topic to enhance comprehension.
Hypothesis or Premise: Present your main arguments or claims about the topic. You can pose questions that need to be answered or provide evidence to support your claims. This section forms the basis of your argument in the essay, so remember to back up each point with evidence from your research.
Body: The body of your essay should consist of paragraphs dedicated to supporting your argument. Each paragraph should focus on a different point or piece of evidence that reinforces your thesis statement. Use logical reasoning, analysis, and additional research to persuade your readers.
Conclusion: Summarize all the main points discussed in the body of your essay. The conclusion serves as a brief recapitulation of your arguments, reminding your readers of the key points you have presented. Additionally, use this section to address and refute any opposing arguments that may arise.

Using AI to write an Argumentative Essay

If you find yourself in need of assistance in writing a high-quality argumentative essay, there are several AI-assistant writing software options available that can provide you with guidance and support.

These advanced tools are designed to assist you in crafting various academic papers, including argumentative essays.

By utilizing these AI-assistant tools, you can receive valuable insights, suggestions, and resources to enhance your writing process and improve the overall quality of your essay.

These tools can help you with tasks such as generating topic ideas, organizing your thoughts, providing examples and templates, suggesting strong arguments, and offering grammar and style recommendations.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, utilizing AI-assistant writing software can be a valuable asset in creating a well-crafted and persuasive argumentative essay.

By familiarizing yourself with the different types of argumentative essays, you can select the one that best aligns with your topic and argument. In conclusion, writing an argumentative essay requires careful planning, strong arguments supported by evidence, and a clear structure. By following the tips provided and understanding the different types of argumentative essays, you can create a compelling and well-structured essay that effectively presents your perspective on the issue at hand.

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11th - 12th Grade Writing

For eleventh and twelfth graders, this Common Core area helps students gain mastery of writing skills by working collaboratively and producing written texts, understanding syntax and vocabulary, and organizing their ideas. Among the complete standards for this grade, eleventh and twelfth graders will be asked to: support the claims of their arguments with evidence, valid reasoning, and credible sources and support it with an understand of relationships between claims and counterclaims, use a formal style when writing within the norms and conventions of the discipline, be able to develop the topic of a work with details, facts, definitions, and quotations, employ formatting, graphics, and multimedia to present information in the written medium, develop a writing topic with relevant facts, definitions, and concrete details, go through the process of writing, editing and revision for their written work with attention to purpose and audience, use appropriate technology to publish writing and to collaborate on written projects with use of linking technology to demonstrate correlations between sources or related material, demonstrate keyboarding skill, go through the process of writing, editing and revision for their written work, conduct short research projects to answer a question, begin to understand the relationship of material to their source work such as the way that Shakespeare might draw on themes from Ovid, quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of supporting texts while avoiding plagiarism and over-reliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation, use evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

How to Write a Thesis Statement

This activity helps students develop a strong thesis statement for their essays by providing practice writing sample statements.

How to Write an Introduction: Bridge Building Activity

This activity is designed to help students learn about writing introductions through a fun bridge building activity to join the lead noun card and thesis statement card.

Paragraph: Proofing and Editing

Use this “Printable Writing Worksheet” to help get in the routine of proofing and editing.

Write a Conclusion: Voting

A strongly written conclusion can sway a reader one way or another. When writing persuasive articles it is important that you restate your thesis and give strong supporting ideas. The conclusion is the last chance you will have to sway your readers. This free printable worksheet is perfect for students to practice writing conclusions.

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English Gr. 10 – 12: Study guide for writing essays and transactional texts

STUDY GUIDE FOR WRITING ESSAYS AND TRANSACTIONAL TEXTS ENGLISH GRADE 10-12 2019 HOME LANGUAGE FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE SECOND ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

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IMAGES

Grade 12 Level 4 Writing Sample
Grade 12 Level 5 Writing Sample
💣 Grade 12 english essay examples. 12Th Grade Students Essays. 2022-11-07
Grade 12 English Essay Examples Pdf
Examples of essays grade 12
How to write a poetry essay

VIDEO

English 2020: Essay Writing
HOW TO WRITE ESSAYS📝PAPER 2 || BUSINESS STUDIES GRADE 12
The Secrets of Great English Writing: How to Write with Purpose
Human rights and the age of inequality
How to write a descriptive essay
Article Writing I How to write Article I Class 12 English Writing Section I pre board and board exam

COMMENTS

Essays Grade 12 Notes
Essays To write a successful exam essay, you need to give yourself time to plan your ideas and write a draft. Once you have edited and corrected your draft, your final essay should be a well-structured and interesting piece of writing. In this section, you will learn how to express yourself using the rules that will earn you marks in the final Grade 12 exam.
2022 DBE Self-study Guides Gr. 12 English: Writing Essays and
2022 DBE Self-study Guides Gr. 12 English: Writing Essays and Transactional Texts. This study guide is intended to serve as a resource for teachers and learners. It provides notes, examples, problem-solving exercises with solutions and examples of practical activities.
PDF Guideline for Teaching and Writing Essays and Transactional Texts
3.3 Expository essay writing communicates ideas or information in a logical way. This is a factual essay er explains ideas or gives facts in a systematic way. An expository essay is well res arched and ideas are supported by facts and f Example topics:
How do you write a grade 12 English essay with a good thesis and topic
Quick answer: Writing a good essay for grade 12 English depends on identifying the type of essay and ensuring that your thesis and development address the characteristics of that type ...
Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers
Essay Writing Guide for Students: Master the art of essay writing with a comprehensive guide. Learn effective techniques for structuring and expressing ideas.
How to write a descriptive essay
The aim of a descriptive essay is to show the reader what you want them to see or feel. Going back to knowing how to use figures of speech and grammar.
PDF A Step-By-Step Guide On Writing The Literature Essay
The Literature Essay is an analysis of a specific literary piece. The Literature Review is about the survey of scholarly sources and forms part of a dissertation. The Literature Essay is more honed in on your literature as a reviewed piece based on the actual literature. The Literature review is an overview of a collective of information for ...
The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay
The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.
PDF English Hl Writing a Literary Essay General Advice & Tips
Page 4of 8 English HL - literature essays - advice & tips (Mrs T. Matthews) How to Organise the Analysis Essay Directions: The following outline explains how to organize the writing of timed essay questions that require analysis. Remember that this is just an idea to help you organise your thoughts.
Grade 12
Grade 12 - How to Write Better Essays For many such students, each essay brings with it the challenge of making it that little bit better than the last one. The problem is that when you write essays regularly, it's easy to get stuck in a rut of repeating the same formula each time - particularly when you already receive good feedback from the teachers who read them.
How to Write an Essay: 4 Minute Step-by-step Guide
There are three main stages to writing an essay: preparation, writing and revision. In just 4 minutes, this video will walk you through each stage of an acad...
How to Write a Great Essay
How do I write an essay? Writing an essay is all about taking small steps to get to the desired result. Start by writing a thesis statement based on the prompt or topic of the essay.
ELA G12: Personal Narrative Essay
Description. Students concentrate on the narrative writing process, building on the material they produced during the writing lessons and incorporating a variety of narrative techniques explored in both in Unit 1 and Unit 2. Students draft, revise, and edit their essays extensively over the course of the unit, further developing their narrative ...
How to write a literature essay: Things Fall Apart
How to write a literature essay: Things Fall Apart In the final Grade 12 literature examination you will need to answer an essay question. Good planning is the key to success in a literature essay but in an exam, you will seldom have the time to do this so you need to be well prepared.
How to write a perfect essay
WRITE A TOPIC SENTENCE This is the main idea of your essay, a statement of your thoughts on the subject. Again, consider the goal of your essay. Think of the topic sentence as an introduction that tells your reader what the rest of your essay will be about.
PDF 002-005_g12waer_823230
For example, a student writing a personal essay needs to know that per-sonal essays express the writer's thoughts and opinions, often incorporate personal anecdotes or experiences, and are usually written in a less formal style than a literary analysis or other forms of essays.
PDF PowerPoint Presentation
Note: your approach to the essay will differ depending on whether you are writing an essay for a homework assignment or writing one in a test or an examination. If you have the book with you, look for relevant sections of the novel and good quotations that you can use in supporting your main points (i.e. substantiating your essay).
How to Write an Argumentative Essay for Grade 12 Final Examination
Are you searching for guidance on how to write an argumentative essay? Look no further! In this article, we will provide you with helpful examples and comprehensive explanations to assist you in mastering the art of argumentative essay writing.
How to write a poetry essay
A poetry essay is a piece of writing with an objective, it aims to analyze how the poet uses structure, tone, diction and imagery to get the message across.I...
Essay writing 101
We take you through how to write an essay, and look at the different types of essay and the general structure you should follow.
Common Core Worksheets
11th - 12th Grade Writing For eleventh and twelfth graders, this Common Core area helps students gain mastery of writing skills by working collaboratively and producing written texts, understanding syntax and vocabulary, and organizing their ideas. Among the complete standards for this grade, eleventh and twelfth graders will be asked to: support the claims of their arguments with evidence ...
12: Study guide for writing essays and transactional texts
STUDY GUIDE FOR WRITING ESSAYS AND TRANSACTIONAL TEXTS ENGLISH GRADE 10-12 2019 HOME LANGUAGE FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE SECOND ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
How to Write Essays in Business Studies Grade 12
How to Write Essays in Business Studies Grade 12 Business Studies with Makaziwe 2.79K subscribers 1.1K 59K views 3 years ago Education ...more
How to Start Writing a Law School Application Essay
To get started on a personal statement, brainstorm your best stories and don't stunt the writing process.