Have you ever been assigned an essay but have no idea what type of essay it is? Or even what the purpose of the essay is? Trying to figure out the differences between all kinds of essays can be confusing.
So, this confusion makes it difficult to write a perfect essay to achieve the academic result you want. But to stand out in your batch, you can hire essay writing services in the UK to get help with every type of essay.
Besides that, you must realize the importance of writing essays and have clear knowledge about every type of essay.
In this blog, we’ll discuss 7 different types of essays, how to recognize them, and how to use them to your advantage.
With this blog, you’ll know how to differentiate them while understanding their purpose better.
7 Types of Essays with Examples and Their Purposes
1. Argumentative Essay
An argumentative essay presents a claim and provides evidence to support it. Additionally, it makes a persuasive argument by presenting facts and logic, as well as quotes, research, and expert opinion. This essay aims to convince your professor that your claim is true.
The structure of an argumentative essay typically consists of five paragraphs:
- Introduction
- Three Body Paragraphs
- Conclusion
When writing an argumentative essay, thinking critically about the topic is important. This means assessing both sides of an argument before deciding which side you agree with the most.
For example, you can write about whether animal testing should be banned.
Additionally, be sure to research the topic so that you have enough evidence to support your claims.
2. Narrative Essay
A narrative essay is a story-based essay usually told in the first-person point of view. It’s meant to be creative and informative, giving an exciting glimpse into your unique perspective and experience. Think of it like a mini novel.
You’ll make an overarching point or lesson, but you will have to illustrate it with stories from your life.
The structure of a narrative essay is quite simple:
- You introduce the story.
- You provide details about the plot or characters.
- You move on to the climax.
- You wrap up with a resolution and moral of the story.
Narrative essays are often used to share meaningful moments from our lives, such as:
- How you broke your arm as a kid?
- What made you challenge yourself by entering a competition?
- How do you learn to be more compassionate by volunteering at an animal shelter?
No matter what story you share within the essay or what kind of lesson those stories impart, you can use narrative essays to reflect on your life. Make sure what’s important to you is being expressed in your writing.
3. Compare and Contrast Essay
In this kind of essay, you take two things and analyze their similarities and differences. Compare and contrast essays can be fascinating as you examine two different things in-depth.
The purpose of compare and contrast essay is to:
- Draw attention to the way certain things or ideas are similar
- Highlight the way they are different
- Analyze how these similarities and differences matter
You can also use a compare and contrast essay as a chance to explore something new. Think about how two things you already know interact with each other in unexpected ways.
For example, you can write on parental control vs. complete freedom. In this topic, you can write about the pros and cons of both to compare them.
You can take two similar pieces of literature and explore the motivations of their protagonists or the settings of two similar movies. The possibilities are endless.
4. Cause and Effect Essay
A cause-and-effect essay is one of the most common types of essays you’ll come across in school, and it’s not hard to see why.
In this type of essay, you’ll try to explain why one thing happens as a result of another, the cause and the effect. So, for example, you might write a cause-and-effect essay about why eating junk food harms your health.
When you write a cause-and-effect essay, there are some things you should keep in mind, such as:
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Research Your Topic Thoroughly
Ensure you have accurate information about causes and effects related to your topic.
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Identify Clear Causes
Identify the primary reasons why something has happened.
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Identify Clear Effects
Identify resulting events or changes in behavior.
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Organize Your Ideas Logically
Start with causes, then discuss effects or vice versa.
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Include Evidence
Provide examples or facts to support your explanations.
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Draw Conclusions
Explain the overall significance of what you’ve discussed.
That said, it’s important to remember that while cause-and-effect essays can be informative, they should also be engaging and interesting to read.
Don’t forget to include examples from popular culture or personal experience when necessary.
5. Definition Essay
A definition essay defines and explains a term or concept. It doesn’t just provide a dictionary definition but rather an in-depth understanding of the subject.
When you’re writing a definition essay, there are a few things to keep in mind:
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Choose Your Term or Concept
Before writing, you must decide which concept or term you want to define.
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Research the Term Carefully
Once you’ve chosen your term or concept, it’s time to research it carefully. First, read through dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference materials to get an understanding of the meaning behind them.
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Determine Your Thesis Statement
After thoroughly researching the term, it’s time to decide on your definition of the word or concept and create a thesis statement explaining it.
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Break Down the Different Parts of Your Definition
To explain your definition better, break down the different parts of it and explain them separately to understand what it means clearly.
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Give Examples Where Necessary
If there are some instances in which you can choose your words differently, give examples of each case to illustrate this better for the professor.
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Conclude
Finally, wrap up your essay by providing a sound conclusion that ties all explanations together into one concise point about the word or concept being defined.
6. Descriptive Essay
A descriptive essay uses words to describe a person, place, experience, or situation. This type of essay is written to provide readers with an in-depth and detailed description of something.
It describes character traits, emotions, settings, plot, and other story aspects.
The purpose of a descriptive essay is to help the reader form an image in their mind of what is being described.
Additionally, the writer needs to be able to tap into their creativity and use vivid language to engage the reader.
Here are some tips for writing an excellent descriptive essay:
- Brainstorm ideas about what you want to describe
- Narrow your focus by choosing something specific
- Use sensory details like sight, sound, and smell
- Use active verbs and vivid adjectives
- Present events chronologically or logically
- Choose words that paint a picture in the reader’s mind
You can also write about a significant experience that changed your life. This topic is a descriptive topic where you have to create a perfect flow for your readers.
7. Evaluation Essay
The last type of essay on our list is called an evaluation essay. These essays are about digging deep into the topic and looking at it differently.
As the name implies, this essay asks you to evaluate something, like an artwork, book, film, or event.
When evaluating something, your job is to look for strengths and weaknesses. You’ll want to look at key elements of the work you’re analyzing, such as the:
- Plot
- Character
- Themes
- Setting
- Language
- Explanation
Consider how well the author has achieved their purpose in creating the work.
Finally, it would be best if you backed up your conclusions with relevant evidence from the text. This will help make your argument more persuasive.
You must know what main points should be addressed in a critical evaluation essay:
- Identify key aspects of the work.
- Explain how they contribute to its overall effectiveness.
- Use specific evidence from the text.
- Provide a conclusion (which agrees or disagrees with the work).
You can also evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of distance education. To explain this topic, dig into distance education and then craft your essay.
The Last Words
No matter what type of essay you’re writing, the best approach is to start with an outline of your main points, evidence to back up your argument, and analysis to connect the two. Knowing the different types of essays can give you more of an understanding of how to structure and write your paper.
Writing essays can be an uphill battle, but with the right tools and techniques, you can write a persuasive paper with clarity and precision. From argumentative to narrative, every type of essay offers its unique benefits. It’s up to you as a writer to decide which one best aligns with your goals and objective.
If you’re looking for essay help, WritingHelpUK can provide a proficient writing service in the UK to achieve your academic goals.
