How to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay


Essays may be written in many ways, but if you want a very clear formula for essay writing, the five-paragraph essay is guaranteed to produce results if it is correctly followed.

In a Social Studies essay, you are usually asked to form a position on a topic and defend it with reason and evidence. Your first paragraph should clearly state your position and list the main reasons you support your idea. Three reasons are generally enough; each reason is a paragraph that explains the idea further and provides evidence and facts. The conclusion summarizes your main reasons and restates your thesis.

Sample Essay Question: To what extent has globalization provided a better life for Indigenous people around the world?

Paragraph One: The Introduction

The first paragraph of your essay must present your thesis or main idea clearly and identify the main points you will make to prove your thesis. A strong opening paragraph provides a structure for your essay. If you follow the main points you have presented in the introduction, your essay will be well reasoned and well-organized.

  • Sentence One is a general statement about the topic. This can be a question, a thought-provoking statement, an anecdote, or an introduction to the topic.
    EXAMPLE 1: Do human beings have a right to decide how to live?
    EXAMPLE 2: Before contact with the "white man," life was hard for the first inhabitants of North America who frequently died of disease, starvation and accident.
    EXAMPLE 3:The year was 1450, and Abenag and her family lived in harmony with nature and his fellow tribesmen.
    EXAMPLE 4: Throughout history, man has tried to better his life.
  • Sentence Two: Narrow your main idea and connect it to your position on the topic.
    EXAMPLE 1: In today's world, we would say "yes," but our forefathers believed their ways were the best, and tried to change the lives of those they thought were "primitive," destroying their culture and beliefs.
    EXAMPLE 2: Once the Europeans arrived, with superior technology, education and medical care, the native people lost their old ways, but obtained skills and knowledge that made their lives easier and healthier.
    EXAMPLE 3: The lifestyle of Abenag and his people was soon to disappear under the domination of incoming traders and settler, whose more powerful technology inevitably took over.
    EXAMPLE 4: The Indigenous people of the world are no different, and learned new and better ways of living after contact with other cultures.
  • Sentence Three: State your thesis in a sentence. If the essay question is "To what extent..." you have three options for your thesis. "Completely" or "to a large extent" , "Not at all" or "to a limited extent" , or "somewhere in the middle". Obviously, option three is most likely the easiest to defend.
    EXAMPLE 1: ( to no extent ): Globalization has destroyed the main values, beliefs and languages of Indigenous people all around the world and in no way has given them a better life.
    EXAMPLE 2: (somewhere in the middle) Globalization has been both bad and good for Indigenous people.
    EXAMPLE 3: (to a limited extent) Globalization has changed the culture of many Indigenous people around the world and this is a loss to the whole world, although some of these changes are for the good.
    EXAMPLE 4: (to a great extent) Globalization, to a large extent, improved the lives of Indigenous people around the world.
  • Sentence Four: Provide three main points or reasons that support your thesis. Each point will become a paragraph in the essay, including more reasoning and specific examples to support the idea.
    EXAMPLE 1: ( to no extent ) Globalization has made life worse for Indigenous people by depopulation, destruction of traditional values and language, leading to marginalization of native peoples around the world.
    EXAMPLE 2: (somewhere in the middle) When the first white people arrived, either by accident or force, native people lost their values and culture, but they also obtained better medical care, education and technology which made their lives better.
    EXAMPLE 3: (to a limited extent) Native people around the world have lost their values which has led to social problems such as suicide, unemployment and jail for many, but life is improving for most native people as they are re-learning their culture.
    EXAMPLE 4: (to a great extent) Aboriginal people have learned new languages, while still keeping their values; they are no longer forced to live a nomadic life following their food source, but can live in a stable and safe environment, and they have access to modern technology which makes their lives easier.

Paragraph Two: First Supporting Paragraph deals with the first main point listed in your introduction. The paragraph should relate to your thesis and provide facts and evidence to support your view.

Paragraph Three: Seconding Supporting Paragraph deals with the second main point listed in your introduction. The paragraph should relate to your thesis and provide facts and evidence to support your view.

Paragraph Four: Third Supporting Paragraph deals with the third main point listed in your introduction. The paragraph should relate to your thesis and provide facts and evidence to support your view.

Paragraph Five: The conclusion restates your thesis, summarizes your main points, and often makes a general statement applying to everyone.