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Structure

 

Essay structure

Essays follow a set structure – they are continuous, connected pieces of writing, written for a specific audience, e.g. your teacher/tutor. An essay presents a position on the topic and then argues it.

An essay has three parts:

Three parts of an essay. See link below for long description

An essay has a beginning (introduction) that:

  • introduces topic/context
  • states argument
  • outlines main points

It has a middle (body) that:

  • has a series of paragraphs that develop the argument
  • contains one main idea in the topic sentence
  • each topic sentence links directly to the argument

It has an end (conclusion) that:

  • restates argument
  • sums up
  • relates to broader context

Typical essay structure

Structure consists of introduction, body (paragraphs with topic sentences) and conclusion