Home Blog A Guide to Expository Essay Writing How To Create An Expository Essay Outline

How To Create An Expository Essay Outline

Expository Essay Outline

Expository essay writing is not as easy as any other type of essay. It requires time, in-depth research, knowledge, attention, skills, and dedication to do a thorough analysis of the topic. Learn to write an exceptional expository essay from our step by step guide.

The first step to writing any type of essay is to craft an outline. With the help of an outline template and step by step guide, you’ll be able to craft a perfect essay.

Read on and learn the art of expository essay writing.

Expository Essay Outline

An outline helps in organizing information and keeping the essay in proper structure. It is like a blueprint of an essay which acts as a road map for you to craft a compelling essay. Before you start jotting down words on a piece of paper, you should craft an outline for your expository essay.



5 Paragraph Expository Essay Outline

Generally, the 5 paragraph essay structure is followed to write any type of essay. The 5 paragraph essay outline usually consists of 1 introduction, 3 body, and 1 conclusion paragraph.


Paragraph I: Introduction

  • A. Hook statement: Attention grabber
  • B. Brief background information necessary for the reader to understand the subject in discussion
  • C. Informative thesis statement

Paragraph II: Body Paragraph I

  • A. Topic sentence: The main idea of the paragraph that explains the topic
  • B. Supporting evidence
  • C. Analysis of the evidence
  • D. Concluding remarks and transition to the next idea

Paragraph III: Body Paragraph II

  • B. Supporting evidence
  • C. Analysis of the evidence
  • D. Concluding remarks and transition to the next idea

Paragraph IV: Body Paragraph III

  • B. Supporting evidence
  • C. Analysis of the evidence
  • D. Concluding remarks

Paragraph V: Conclusion

  • A. Restate the thesis statement
  • B. A brief summary of the essay
  • C. Reveal unanswered questions
  • D. Call to action

Expository Essay Outline Examples


Expository Essay Outline Template (PDF)

The following template contains a detailed description of the expository essay outline. Take help from it and make a flawless outline for your expository essay.

Expository Essay Outline Sample (PDF)

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Process Of Expository Essay Writing

The expository essay works just like an investigating agent. Its job is to investigate a specific topic thoroughly and present the analysis without any biases.

Expository essay writing is somehow difficult as you have to thoroughly investigate a topic while presenting the facts and evidence. But if you follow the outline and proper guidelines, the process could become simple and easy.

Here is a 5 step process to write an expository essay.

  1. Choose a topic
  2. Create an outline
  3. Write the first draft
  4. Edit to make essay flawless
  5. Proofread the essay

Choose A Captivating Topic

When you start writing an essay the first thing you need is a good topic that enthralls the reader. When you choose a topic for your expository essay you need to make sure it intrigues the reader. The essay topic should arouse the reader’s curiosity.

Create An Outline

This is the best advice you can ever get.

“Create an essay outline before the actual write up.”



The Actual Write Up - Write The First Draft

Now that you have selected a topic, created a timeline, it's time for the actual write-up. Before you write your essay, it is a good idea to take help from expository essay examples. These examples demonstrate what elements an essay should include and how to present the information in a logical sequence.

The essential elements of an essay are introduction, body, and conclusion. Here is how you can write an exceptional expository essay.

Start With A Tempting Expository Essay Introduction



After the hook, provide some brief background of the topic that sets the ground of the essay. The background information is necessary to make the idea clear to the reader. Don’t assume that the reader knows everything about the topic. Instead, assume that the reader knows nothing about the topic and you have to explain everything to explain your topic.

Write a well-defined thesis statement that provides a sort of navigation for your essay. It is a precise, clear, and one-sentence summary of the whole essay. It should help the reader get the main idea of your essay.

Craft The Informative Body Paragraphs


The number of body paragraphs is not specified. If you are following a 5 paragraph structure then it will have 3 body paragraphs. But, you can write as many paragraphs as required to reveal the topic.

Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that reveals the idea you are going to discuss. Present the factual evidence that supports the thesis statement as well as the topic of the essay.

The evidence is the essential elements of an expository essay, as you can’t analyze anything properly without facts and evidence. No investigating agent can prove his case without providing factual evidence, nor is the expository essay.

Hence provide sufficient facts and evidence that backs up your point and helps you investigate the topic. Thoroughly analyze these facts and evidence without being biased and discuss the importance of the evidence. Provide a concluding remark that elaborates on the topic sentence and smoothly transitioned to the next paragraph.

End With A Convincing Expository Essay Conclusion

The conclusion is the final section of the essay which leaves an impact on the reader’s mind. Hence it should be informative enough that it convinces the reader with your case. And, it should leave an everlasting impression on the reader's mind.

Start the conclusion paragraph by reinstating the thesis statement to remind the reader about the purpose of the essay. Summarize the essay and discuss the significance of the topic of your essay. Reveal unanswered questions and provide a call to action.


Once you have completed your first draft, the next step is to remove the unwanted information from the essay. You might have to write several drafts to make your essay stand out.

Read your essay and check if you have included any irrelevant or unnecessary information in your essay. Remove the extra details which are not required and are not serving the actual purpose of the essay.

Check if your information is in a logical structure and following the format of the essay. Make sure that all the information is logically connecting and directly associating with the main topic of the essay.


The final step is proofreading your essay. It is a good idea to step apart from your essay for a few days before proofreading your essay. This way you’ll get back to your essay with a fresh mind and can easily catch the mistakes.

Proofread your essay for grammatical and spelling mistakes. Pay close attention to the sentence structure, tone of the essay, readability, and clarity of your essay. Make sure that it is easy to read and understand and it is conveying the main message.

Enlist others’ help, ask someone to proofread your essay for you. It is easier for others to pick the mistakes in your essay. Also, you’ll get additional feedback that will help you polish your essay.

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