If you’re looking for a complete guide on how to write an explanatory essay, you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, you’ll learn what an explanatory essay is, how to write the essay, and some tips to help you ace the assignment.
Key Takeaways
- An explanatory essay is a type of an essay that requires you to give your opinion about a process, a story, a person, or an event.
- You don’t make an argument in an explanatory essay. Rather than taking sides, you simply explain an issue to make it easy for a reader to understand.
- To write an explanatory essay, you choose a topic, conduct research, create an outline, write the essay, and then edit your final draft prior to submission.
What is an Explanatory Essay?
Also known as an expository essay, an explanatory assignment in which you give your opinion about an event, a story, a person, a subject, or a process.
You don’t necessarily have to agree with the view that you give. But your point of view must be thoroughly researched and logical.
An explanatory essay is different from an argumentative writing in that instead of taking a position and debating its validity, you simply explain the issue to make it easier for your audience (readers) to understand.
In other words, you have to take a neutral position on a topic and provide a clear analysis of the subject in question.
The primary objective of an explanatory essay is to help your reader to understand why something happened the way they did.
By the time they finish reading the essay, they should get a clear picture of your explanation, even if they don’t agree with it.
How to Write an Explanatory Essay Step-by-Step
Writing an expository essay shouldn’t be difficult if you have the right lead.
Continue reading this step-by-step guide to learn how to write the best explanatory essay fast.
1. Pick a Topic
Check the essay prompt to determine if your instructor has given you a topic to focus on.
If they have, write the essay according to the instructions that they provide.
If they haven’t, consider choosing an interesting topic that you can easily explore.
2. Research and Gather Evidence to Support Your Essay
Research your topic well and gather as much information about it as you possibly can.
Don’t worry if part of your explanatory essay will include merely opinions.
As long as the opinion is reasonably strong, your essay should stand out.
While there’s a wealth information that covers the topic under examination, it’s best to use reliable sources to write the essay.
Keep a record of your source somewhere in a separate notepad, because you need to cite and reference them at the bottom of the essay.
3. Create a Relevant Outline
All essays have one thing in common:
They follow a particular format to make ideas clear.
It follows then that your explanatory (expository) essay should also have a clear format.
Divide the essay into three parts: the introduction, body section, and the conclusion paragraph.
Don’t worry about writing the whole essay at this point. Just focus on organizing your main ideas in point form while keeling the three sections in mind.
Your instructor may ask to see the outline before you proceed with writing the essay.
But even if they don’t, you should make the outline as comprehensive as possible so that you have an easy time writing the expository.
4. Write the Body Paragraph
With a clear outline, writing the whole essay shouldn’t be difficult at all.
While it’s fine to start from the introduction, move to the body section, and then write the conclusion, writing the body of your paper makes your work a whole lot easier.
The consensus is that an expository essay should be at least five paragraphs.
That’s a good starting point.
So if your instructor hasn’t specifically stated that your assignment should be this short, you shouldn’t hesitate to make the essay longer.
The rule to getting the body paragraph right is to focus on one point or idea per paragraph.
Start that with a topic sentence, write your explanation, and then end with a conclusion that easily transitions to a new idea in a completely new paragraph.
6. Write Your Introduction
Your introduction can make or break the explanatory essay. So you shouldn’t take chances here.
Read the body of the article to get a clear idea for a hook. And then start the introduction with a statement that will attract eyeballs instantly.
Include a short background. Then, end the instruction of your expository essay with a strong thesis statement.
6. Write a Conclusion
Really, there’s no magic bullet to ending an essay and this part of the assignment should be a no brainer to complete.
The approach is to end the assignment on a very strong note.
Tie your idea together into a powerful statement that gives your readers something to think about.
Tips to Write a Good Expository Essay
Below are some tips you can use to write a good explanatory essay within the shortest time possible.
1. Use an Appropriate Writing Style
An explanatory essay uses the same three-part format used in all essays.
Beyond that, however, it doesn’t require you to take a side or persuade someone to do, say, or believe something.
As such, it’s important to use an appropriate writing style when writing this assignment.
Your explanation should be more of a discussion. And while you do have to present evidence to back your topic, you shouldn’t do so to put your reader in a position where they have to make a solid case.
2. Get Help from Professional Essay Writers
Still don’t have time to write an explanatory essay yourself even after reading this guide?
You can pay someone to write an essay for you and get the task completed in the shortest time possible.
You can use the essay you receive from us as reference to help you write your final draft, deliver the final copy to your teacher for review, and score good grades.