Barbara P
Barbara P

Writing Essays Made Easy – Here Are The Types Of Essay You Should Know!

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Published on: Mar 10, 2023

Last updated on: Mar 9, 2023

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Are you feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of writing an essay?If so, fear not! Writing essays is a lot easier than it seems – and can even be enjoyable. With the right strategies, tackling any essay prompt can be surprisingly straightforward. In this blog post, we’ll break down the types of essays you should know; so that when the essay-writing time rolls around, you won’t find yourself scratching your head in confusion. It’s time to turn writing essays into a breeze with these insider tips!

What Is an Essay? 

An essay is a thoughtful text that is meant to inform or persuade the reader. 

Before you start writing your first sentence, you'll need to understand some basics about how an essay works.

Writing various kinds of essays effectively has become critical to academic success. That is why we are here to explain what types of essays exist and how they all serve different purposes. 

Let's get started!

Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is a personal way to tell stories with an academic argument in mind. They allow the writer to use their own experiences as examples. Also, make arguments or impart lessons through real-life events. 

A narrative essay can be written in any way the writer chooses. Autobiographical narratives make a connection with readers by adding emotions to every sentence. It allows more creativity which is what makes this type of essay so appealing. 

The first-person point of view also creates an emotional attachment, but some writers use it differently than others. They may write about another person's story as their own or even create imaginary characters they never met in real life. 

These stories have no limitations on time periods, topics, or genres. There are endless possibilities when telling personal tales through an academic argument. 

Narrative Essay Example

Below is an example of a narrative essay to help you know how to build a strong essay by yourself. 

Expert Tip

Click on the link to check out more narrative essay examples!

Descriptive Essay

The perfect way to start writing a descriptive essay is by describing what you see, hear, and feel. 

What does the object look like? How do your hands react when they touch it for the first time? Does it sound echo in your head as someone has said it out loud, or did it come from inside? 

The goal of a descriptive essay is to allow the reader to visualize and understand something. This kind of writing can be used for many different subjects, whether it's an object or person, experience, or emotion. 

The more detailed information your essay has, the more clear understanding it will develop for the readers. Describe what you have felt and observed through some specific event. Many writers start with a one-line description before moving on to complex arguments. This is the best way to start a descriptive essay. 

First, writers include event details and then combine them with sensory details. It allows readers to imagine whatever scene the writer wants them to imagine.

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Descriptive Essay Example

Expert Tip

Check out more descriptive essay examples in this blog to learn descriptive writing!

Expository Essay

An expository essay is the most basic and simplest essay type. It provides the reader with a straightforward, information-centered presentation of facts or concepts.

It only aims to explain an idea or define a concept without making any arguments at all. This is usually a shorter piece of writing. 

An expository essay is also known as a definition essay. It's useful for those who want an in-depth explanation without having to do too much thinking by themselves.

In order to make expository writing more interesting, writers use several essay variations such as comparison and contrast essays, cause and effect essays, or process essays.

Because facts matter in this genre of writing, you will not find any emotion expressed by a writer here.

The best example comes from science class when students have to write an informative paragraph on how paper is made. They aren't allowed to use any argumentative techniques like persuasion because that is not what an essay is built for.

Expository Essay Example

Expert Tip

Looking for examples? Checkout this blog on expository essay examples to enhance learning.

Analytical Essay

An analytical essay is similar to an expository essay in that they both describe a topic. But the analytical essay takes one step further by investigating each side of the subject. 

This analytical essay is more than just a descriptive piece. It takes an expository topic and then investigates the different sides of that subject.

For instance: An expository essay is about how presidents are elected. You might look at all aspects of this process to discuss its pros and cons. 

An analytical essay investigates what would happen if we changed some parts or fully abandoned the electoral system altogether.

Analytical Essay Example

Get access to various other examples by clicking on this blog about analytical essay examples.

Persuasive Essay

Writing a persuasive essay can be tricky because it wants the writer's viewpoint and reasoning on a certain topic. 

To ensure that your essay is clear, concise, and persuasive enough, you have to convince the reader. Think about what information would justify your arguments. It is a type of argumentative essay because they take a stance on an issue.

A good persuasive piece includes counterarguments for opposing views as well as data to back up the central thesis statement.

Persuasive Essay Example

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View more persuasive essay examples here!

Compare and Contrast Essay

A compare and contrast essay is a type of essay that examines two items. It compares their similarities while also pointing out the differences between them.

It's important to organize this essay into sections, one for comparisons and another section for contrasts. It is designed to show readers how topics or concepts differ or how they're alike. 

A good way to start is by stating why you're doing a compare & contrast essay on that particular subject (i.e., how they relate back to each other). This will keep readers engaged throughout your whole essay.

Compare and Contrast Essay Example

Cause and Effect Essay

In a cause-and-effect essay, the writer establishes their argument by first defining the problem that is at hand. Next, they explain what caused it to happen in detail so as not to leave out any important details. 

Cause and effect essays are often organized chronologically to show the relationship between two things, in particular how another influenced one thing. 

The essay might start with a cause, for example, an unfair law. Then it will go on to explain its effects which can be anything from people rioting or animals fleeing. 

This type of writing is usually structured like this: first explaining why something happened (which is called the “cause”), then exploring how that event had consequences (referred to as “effects”).

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Cause and Effect Essay Example

Expert Tip

Read more interesting compare and contrast essay examples by reading this blog!

Critical Essay

Critical writing follows the same guidelines as persuasive writing.  The difference is that a critical essay is a literature-based piece of writing.

It breaks down literature into its simpler components, so the reader better understands what they are reading. As well as be able to make an argument about its meaning. The writer usually uses textual evidence as well as other critics when making their points.

An introduction that presents your thesis statement followed by evidence from both text-based sources and outside knowledge. 

The body then gathers this information in order to create a sound argument, backed up not just by textual analysis but also by contextual understanding. 

As writers spend their lives trying to come up with new ways of expressing themselves. Some express themselves through artistic mediums like painting, songwriting, and poetry; others use more traditional means in essays or books.

Critical Essay Example

Now, you have to know how different types of essays to write. Make sure you write without any mistakes.

Textual Analysis Essays

If you’re studying literature, you’ll often be asked to write a textual analysis essay. These types of essays break down the text and analyze its deeper meaning. 

They will also focus on how language is used in the text (including metaphors and other figures of speech). 

Textual analysis essays will involve breaking down the text into smaller sections to better understand how it works together. 

You may also be asked to consider the context in which it was written, as this can affect its meaning. 

Textual Analysis Essay Example

If you're finding it difficult to write an essay, you're not alone. Many students face writer's block when starting an essay. 

Luckily, we have provided you ample examples of each type of essay to help guide you through the writing process. 

If you need further assistance, consider hiring the best essay writing service CollegeEssay.org to get the job done for you quickly and efficiently. 

With the help of our essay writer, you can confidently submit a well-written and informative paper on any topic. 

Our college essay writer has ample experience in crafting all types of essays, so you can rest assured that your essay will be top-notch.

So, what are you waiting for? Contact our college essay writing service today!

Barbara P

WRITTEN BY

Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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