Navigation
Combine everything you have learned to draft your first complete five-paragraph essay.
What if you could build a skyscraper of words that is so strong it never falls down? Just like a builder uses a blueprint, a great writer uses an outline to turn a messy pile of ideas into a powerful story!
Before you start typing, look at your outline. Think of your outline as the skeleton of your essay. A five-paragraph essay always follows this 'Rule of Five': one Introduction, three Body Paragraphs, and one Conclusion. To draft, you simply 'flesh out' the bones. For each bullet point in your outline, write 2-3 sentences. Your Introduction needs a 'hook' to grab the reader, and your Conclusion should wrap everything up like a gift ribbon. The three body paragraphs are where you share your best facts and secrets about your topic.
Quick Check
What are the three main parts that make up the 'Rule of Five' in an essay?
Answer
The Introduction, three Body Paragraphs, and the Conclusion.
To make your essay stand out, you need figurative language. This is when you use words in a creative way that isn't literal. A simile compares two things using the words 'like' or 'as' (e.g., 'The cheetah ran as fast as lightning'). A metaphor says one thing is another (e.g., 'The snow was a white blanket'). These tools help your reader see a movie in their head while they read your work. Try to sprinkle at least one piece of 'word magic' into your draft to surprise your reader!
Let's turn a boring sentence into a magical one: 1. Boring: The sun was very hot. 2. Using a Simile: The sun felt like a giant heater in the sky. 3. Using a Metaphor: The sun was a golden coin shining in the blue pocket of the sky.
If every sentence is the same length, your writing sounds like a robot. To fix this, use sentence variety. - Simple Sentences are short and punchy (e.g., 'The dog barked.'). - Compound Sentences join two ideas with words like 'and', 'but', or 'so' (e.g., 'The dog barked, and the cat ran away.'). - Complex Sentences use 'bossy' words like 'because', 'although', or 'since' to connect a main idea with a supporting one (e.g., 'Because the dog barked, the cat hid under the bed.').
Watch how we combine ideas for better rhythm: 1. Simple: I love space. It is dark. (Choppy) 2. Compound: I love space, but it is very dark and cold. (Smoother) 3. Complex: Although space is dark and cold, I still dream of being an astronaut. (Expert level!)
Quick Check
Which type of sentence uses words like 'because' or 'although' to connect ideas?
Answer
A complex sentence.
Drafting a Body Paragraph about Wolves: 1. Topic Sentence: Wolves are the master hunters of the forest. 2. Detail + Simile: Their teeth are as sharp as steak knives. 3. Complex Sentence: Because they work in a pack, they can catch animals much larger than themselves. 4. Compound Sentence: They howl to talk to friends, and they run for miles to find food.
How many body paragraphs are typically in a five-paragraph essay?
Which of these is a simile?
A complex sentence often uses words like 'because' or 'since'.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, look at your draft and try to find one 'boring' sentence. Can you turn it into a simile?
Practice Activity
Pick a favorite animal and write three sentences about it: one simple, one compound, and one complex!