This document outlines different types of essays: narrative, descriptive, illustration, process analysis, classification, definition, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, and persuasive/argumentative. It provides a brief definition and examples for each type to explain their purpose and structure. The primary focus is on narrative essays which tell a story, and descriptive essays which appeal to the senses to paint a picture with words. It also emphasizes the persuasive essay as the main essay type covered.

1. Essay Modes:Essay Modes:
Different kinds of essays…Different kinds of essays…
• NarrationNarration • Cause & Effect• Cause & Effect
• DescriptionDescription • Comparison &• Comparison &
• IllustrationIllustration ContrastContrast
• Process Analysis •Process Analysis • ArgumentativeArgumentative
• ClassificationClassification
• DefinitionDefinition

2. The Narrative EssayThe Narrative Essay
• A narrative essay tellsA narrative essay tells
a story…a story…
• It can be eitherIt can be either
fictional or real-life.fictional or real-life.
• The more “real” it is forThe more “real” it is for
you, the better you willyou, the better you will
tell it. (Sometimes ourtell it. (Sometimes our
imaginations are moreimaginations are more
real to us than our dailyreal to us than our daily
lives.)lives.)

3. The Descriptive EssayThe Descriptive Essay
• A descriptive essayA descriptive essay
paints a picture withpaints a picture with
words…words…
• It appeals to theIt appeals to the
senses: sight,senses: sight,
hearing, taste, touchhearing, taste, touch
and smell.and smell.
• It can also appeal toIt can also appeal to
emotions.emotions.

4. The Illustration EssayThe Illustration Essay
• In an illustrationIn an illustration
essay, you giveessay, you give
examples of yourexamples of your
topic.topic.
• Examples are veryExamples are very
helpful to readershelpful to readers
who may bewho may be
unfamiliar with yourunfamiliar with your
subject.subject.

5. The Process AnalysisThe Process Analysis
EssayEssay
• Process Analysis is aProcess Analysis is a
“how to do it” essay.“how to do it” essay.
• You show in wordsYou show in words
how to get somethinghow to get something
done: what the stepsdone: what the steps
are from beginning toare from beginning to
end.end.
• Finally, you tell whatFinally, you tell what
you will have when theyou will have when the
process is finished.process is finished.

6. The Classification EssayThe Classification Essay
• A classification essayA classification essay
breaks down a generalbreaks down a general
subject into classessubject into classes
(categories or groups.)(categories or groups.)
• You can classify eitherYou can classify either
things or ideas.things or ideas.
• You decide how youYou decide how you
will classify your topic,will classify your topic,
but always go frombut always go from
general to specific.general to specific.

7. The Definition EssayThe Definition Essay
• A definition essayA definition essay
gives the meaning of agives the meaning of a
word, term or concept.word, term or concept.
• TheThe denotationdenotation of aof a
word is its dictionaryword is its dictionary
definition.definition.
• TheThe connotationconnotation of aof a
word is its informal orword is its informal or
slang meaning in dailyslang meaning in daily
usage.usage.

8. The Cause & Effect EssayThe Cause & Effect Essay
• A cause & effectA cause & effect
essay tells howessay tells how
things affect eachthings affect each
other; how theyother; how they
depend on eachdepend on each
other.other.
• An effect may haveAn effect may have
one cause or severalone cause or several
different clauses.different clauses.

9. The Comparison-The Comparison-
Contrast EssayContrast Essay
• Comparison tells howComparison tells how
things are alike andthings are alike and
contrast shows howcontrast shows how
they are different.they are different.
• In this essay, youIn this essay, you
normally show eithernormally show either
comparison orcomparison or
contrast, but you cancontrast, but you can
tell both if you want.tell both if you want.

10. The Persuasive EssayThe Persuasive Essay
The Argumentative EssayThe Argumentative Essay
• In the persuasiveIn the persuasive
essay, you areessay, you are
writing to get yourwriting to get your
audience toaudience to
accept your pointaccept your point
of view and thinkof view and think
like you do.like you do.
• This is the primaryThis is the primary
essay with whichessay with which
we will work.we will work.