Pro Tips to Writing an Excellent Expository Essay

If you have been tasked with writing an expository essay, you may need some help. This piece will give some practical and professional tips to help you write an outstanding essay.

However, before we give you these tips, let us quickly get familiar with the term.

What is an expository essay?

There are three basic genres or types of essay writing. These include narrative, descriptive, persuasive, and expository essays.

An expository essay is a type of essay which studies and explains a concept or an event. The writer communicates to the reader factual information about any chosen idea clearly and concisely.

What is the purpose of an expository essay?

The purpose of an expository essay is to present an accurate description of a topic. It aims to educate the reader about a topic or concept without being unbiased.

There are different ways an expository essay can inform a reader. These include classification essays, definition essays, compare and contrast essays, process essays, problem and solution essays, and cause and effect essays.

Tips for writing an expository essay

Below are tips that will help you write an impressive expository essay.

  1. Conduct extensive research

It is essential to research the given topic before you begin writing your essay. Researching will make you more knowledgeable and provide you with helpful information regarding the subject. In addition, while researching, you are gathering information and evidence to support your points in your essay.

Make sure the sources you use are credible and trusted. There is so much information on the internet, and one can easily stumble upon dubious information. Remember to cite your sources at the end as well correctly.

Sometimes you may not be given a specific topic to write about. In this situation, you can always browse ideas for expository essays. You will find enough results, and you can choose the expository essay prompt you want.

  1. Create an outline

Having an expository essay format helps lay the foundation for your writing. The format or outline is like an early plan detailing how your essay will take shape. To create an expository essay outline, your essay must first have a structure.

Typically, essays are structured and organized into five paragraphs. These five paragraphs are the introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and the concluding paragraph. The structure of expository essays should follow suit.

The introductory paragraph should include a thesis statement that states the essay’s main point. The three body paragraphs should each focus on different ideas relating to your thesis statement. In the concluding paragraph, restate your thesis, summarize your argument and end the essay.

With this knowledge, proceed to write important information to fill the five paragraphs. Finally, you can summarize what points each paragraph will focus on.

  1. Create your thesis statement

The thesis statement is very important. It is the fundamental part of your essay because it contains the main idea. Moreover, your thesis statement summarizes what the whole essay argued about.

The thesis statement appears in the first paragraph of an essay. That way, it gives readers an understanding of the essay’s purpose from the beginning. Make sure your thesis statement clearly states the main idea of your essay.

  1. Make use of transition words

In writing an expository essay, or any type of essay, you should aim for coherence and readability. Your sentences and paragraphs should connect and flow smoothly, so readers are not left confused. To do this, make use of transitions when necessary.

Transitional words help show the logical connection between ideas. Some transitional words and phrases include: “in addition,” “furthermore,” “moreover,” “therefore,” “thus,” “hence,” “in conclusion,” “to summarize,” “hitherto,” and “subsequently”.

  1. Proofread and edit

After writing your essay, you need to check for mistakes and errors. Pay close attention to vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Also, check to ensure your opinions are not biased and lean more towards the objective side.


Expository essays are not difficult to write once you have the proper guidance. If you follow our tips well, you will be writing an impressive expository essay in no time.

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