What is Formal Writing?

Formal writing is used in academic and business settings or in other situations when the writer does not have a personal or familiar relationship with the recipient of the piece of writing. Formal writing should be used when writing essays for an academic assignment, business letters and emails, and any writing done for legal purposes. In these situations, the writer uses language, conventions, and style to make the best possible impression on the audience. Specifically, the writer should maintain a sense of formality by:

• * choosing language and sentence structure that creates a respectful tone
• * avoiding use of first-person and second-person pronouns like “I” and “you” (in most cases)
• * omitting contractions, slang, and abbreviations
• * organizing and developing each paragraph with purpose and attention to proper structure
• * carefully editing for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar

What is Informal Writing?

Informal writing is used to communicate in a personal or casual context. In informal writing situations, the writer, in most cases, is already on familiar terms with the recipient(s) of the writing. This type of writing might be used in a personal email or letter to a friend or family member, in text messages, or in social media posts done in a personal context. In general, informal writing is conversational and less concerned with proper paragraph and sentence construction. In informal writing, the writer may:

• * use contractions, abbreviations, and slang to communicate in a style that resembles oral language
• * use first-person and second- person pronouns
• * not pay much attention to spelling, grammar, or general editing
• * deviate from traditional sentence and paragraph structure

How to Write Different Types of Essays

There are many types of essays, and each requires a slightly different approach. When writing essays for an academic assignment, the first step is to carefully read the prompt or instructions for guidelines or requirements given by the teacher. From there, the writer will want to consider the purpose and audience of the piece of writing when making choices regarding the style and content.

Most essays follow the same basic structure: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. While the styles of writing are different with each type of essay, the structure of a formal essay is as follows:

• * Introduction: The introduction should begin with a hook to capture the reader’s attention. The middle sentences of the introduction should contain some general discussion or context about the topic, but any specific details should be saved for the body paragraphs. The thesis statement, the sentence that communicates the main idea of the piece of writing, is usually the last sentence of the introduction.

• * Body Paragraphs: There are generally three body paragraphs in a formal essay, although depending on the nature of the assignment or level of the student, there may be more or fewer body paragraphs. Each body paragraph should be centered around a topic that supports the thesis and that is identified by the body paragraph’s opening sentence. The middle of each body paragraph should contain details and examples that develop the topic. Each body paragraph should end with a closing sentence that signals the end of discussion on that point and then transitions to the next body paragraph. 

• * Conclusion: The conclusion, or final paragraph, should restate the thesis, add some elaboration, and end with a thought-provoking ending statement.

Expository Essays

An expository essay is written in order to explain or inform an audience about a topic. The writer should take care to present facts and details without including persuasive tactics. Expository essays, like most other essays, should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. 

• * Introduction: The introduction should begin with a hook that captures the audience’s attention. For an expository essay, a startling statistic or interesting anecdote related to the topic works well. At the end of the introduction, the writer should include a clear and concise thesis that states the main idea of the essay. Often the thesis will come directly from the prompt, so students should read it carefully for clues about what should be included in the thesis.

• * Body Paragraphs:  The body of an expository essay should be organized so that each body paragraph  centers on one main aspect of the overall topic. Each body paragraph should start with an opening sentence that identifies the subject of the paragraph. Within each body paragraph, the writer should include details accompanied by specific examples and explanations that inform the audience and help them have a deeper overall understanding of the topic. The writer should take care to order the information in a logical sequence so that the reader can easily follow the ideas.

• * Conclusion: The conclusion of an expository essay should restate the thesis and provide closure for the topic in an engaging way. The conclusion should not provide any new information.

Personal Essays

A personal essay is a specific type of expository essay explaining something from the author’s life or perspective. Because of the personal nature of the writing, first-person pronouns (I, me, etc.) are permissible in this type of composition. 

A personal essay should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each section should be developed as follows:

• * Introduction: The introduction should start with a hook that generates interest about the topic. Many writers like to begin a personal essay with a vivid description, thought-provoking question, or a glimpse of the action to come later in the essay. The thesis should directly state the main idea or main event that the essay will discuss.

• * Body Paragraphs: The body paragraphs of a personal essay should include an explanation of the thoughts and feelings of the writer about the topic. If the personal essay is narrative, the writer should also include a descriptive account of the events that occurred in chronological order and use transitions to help the reader understand the sequence of events.

• * Conclusion: The conclusion, or final paragraph, should restate the thesis and include some final thoughts about the event or topic.

Persuasive Essays

A persuasive essay seeks to make an argument to move the audience to act, believe, or feel a certain way. In a persuasive essay, the writer takes an arguable position or stance on a particular topic and provides evidence to convince the audience to agree with that position. The writer should approach the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion as follows:

• * Introduction: The introduction should begin with an engaging hook, such as a thought-provoking rhetorical question or a surprising fact or statistic that provides an entry into the topic followed by some general background information about the topic. The thesis statement should clearly state the writer’s position on the topic using language that provides a sense of urgency to the reader. In order to successfully persuade his or her audience, the writer must establish the topic as something worthy of time and attention.

• * Body Paragraphs: The body paragraphs should each be centered around a point related to the thesis that the writer seeks to prove with evidence and examples. The writer must interpret the evidence to show how it connects to the point he or she is trying to make. The writer should use strong language designed to appeal to the audience’s logic and emotions in order to persuade them to agree with the writer’s position. At the same time, the writer should take care not to overdo in this department so that he or she doesn’t inadvertently create a comical tone instead of a passionate one. The closing sentence of each body paragraph should connect the point made in the opening sentence to the overall thesis of the essay. 

• * Conclusion: The conclusion of a persuasive essay is incredibly important to the success of the essay. The writer should restate the thesis and include a call to action that tells the audience exactly what they should do now that they have been enlightened by the writer’s argumentation. The conclusion should also provide the “so what?” — the reasoning that motivates the audience to care about the topic and to act accordingly.

Compare/Contrast Essays

A compare/contrast essay is another specific type of expository essay and, as the name implies, involves a study of two subjects and explains their similarities and differences. Generally the writer chooses points of comparison and explains how the two subjects are similar and different in regard to those points. The writer should not feel pressured to provide an equal amount of development on both the similarities and differences. Like other essays, a compare/contrast essay should include an introduction, body, and conclusion.

• * Introduction: The writer should start the introduction with a hook that captures the audience’s attention and brings the subjects into focus, such as a vivid description or an interesting anecdote. The middle sentences should elaborate on the subject and lead into the thesis, which states the writer’s intent to explain how the two subjects are similar and different.

• * Body Paragraphs: Each opening sentence should introduce a point of comparison or contrast between the two subjects. The middle sentences should provide details and examples that support the comparison or contrast, usually through the use of concrete details and descriptions.

• * Conclusion: The conclusion should include a restatement of the thesis and any final thoughts or insights the writer wishes to share about the two subjects.

If you’re looking for a complete homeschool writing curriculum, consider giving Essentials in Writing a try! With EIW, you’ll get the complete package: engaging video lessons that show how to write many types of essays with step-by-step instructions and modeling, student-friendly text examples and explanations, practice activities, and expertly-designed writing prompts with accompanying rubrics and checklists. Offering curricula for grades 1-12, EIW makes at-home writing instruction a breeze for parents and a pleasure for students. Check out our level wizard to find the curriculum that best fits your child’s needs.

 The Basics: What is Sentence Structure? 

While there are countless combinations of words, luckily there are only four sentence structures. In order to correctly identify a sentence’s structure or type, students must be able to identify subjects and predicates and understand how they form independent or dependent clauses.

• • * The subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about and that is performing an action. 

• * The girl smiled.

• • * The predicate contains the main verb and its modifiers.

• * The girl smiled.

Additionally, a student must be able to recognize whether a subject and predicate forms an independent clause or a dependent clause.

• * An independent clause is a subject/predicate combination that expresses a complete thought and can stand on its own as a complete sentence.
• * The dog howled plaintively.
• * Notice that the above sentence contains a subject, “The dog,” and a predicate, “howled plaintively.” It is a complete sentence.
• * A dependent clause has a subject and predicate, but it cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence because it does not express a complete thought. These clauses usually start with a subordinator and must be attached to an independent clause in order to form a complete thought.
• • * A subordinator is a word that makes the clause dependent on an independent clause.

• * When the dog howled plaintively.

Notice that the above sentence contains the same subject and predicate as before, but the addition of the subordinator “when” makes it unable to stand alone as a complete sentence. The subordinator indicates that more information must be provided to make a complete thought and that the dependent clause must be joined to an independent clause.

Once the student has a firm grasp of subjects, predicates, independent clauses, and dependent clauses, he or she is ready to learn the four types of sentence structures.

Types of Sentence Structure

There are four types of sentence structures in the English language. Learning to master each type provides a strong writing foundation for future writing lessons. The four sentence types are:

• * simple sentences
• * compound sentences
• * complex sentences 
• * compound-complex sentences

Simple Sentences 

Simple sentences, as the name implies, are the easiest type of sentence for students to understand and compose. This very basic sentence structure features one independent clause. 

Simple sentences can be as short as two words like this example:

• * Children played. 

• * This simple sentence contains a subject, “children,” that tells what the sentence is about.  

• * A predicate, “played,” states the action or state of being of the subject.

• • * Though it is not very detailed, the sentence expresses a complete thought.

Sentence length is not enough to determine whether a sentence is simple. Some simple sentences, even though they only consist of one independent clause, can get quite long if the writer includes many modifiers. Consider this simple sentence:

• * After many days of stormy weather, eager children played together at the neighborhood park.

• • * The subject and predicate are the same as in the previous sentence. 
  • * The addition of modifiers does not affect the type of sentence structure.
  • * Because there is one independent clause, this is a simple sentence.

Simple sentences can take on a compound subject or a compound verb or both. Remember to count the independent clauses to determine sentence structure. 

• * After many days of stormy weather, eager children and their dogs ran and played together at the neighborhood park.

• • * This sentence has one independent clause.
  • * subject: “eager children and their dogs”
  • * predicate: “ran and played together”
  • * This is still a simple sentence, but it has a compound (more than one) subject and a compound verb.

Compound Sentences 

A compound sentence is usually the second sentence structure that a student learns. It consists of two or more independent clauses. The independent clauses are joined by a semicolon or by a comma and coordinating conjunction. For an easy way to remember the seven coordinating conjunctions, have your students memorize the acronym FANBOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So).

Consider these examples of compound sentences:

• * Children played, and their parents chatted.

• • • * In this example, the two independent clauses are joined by a comma and the coordinating conjunction “and.”

• * Children played; parents chatted.

• • * In this example, the two independent clauses are joined by a semicolon.

Complex Sentences  

A complex sentence is created by combining one independent clause with one or more dependent clauses. If the dependent clause (DC) comes first, it is followed by a comma. If the independent clause (IC) comes first, no comma is necessary. 

Here is an example:

• * After the rain stopped, the children played. 

• • • * In this example, the dependent clause “after the rain stopped” starts the sentence and is followed by a comma and the independent clause “the children played.”
    • * (DC, IC)
    • * The subordinator “after” helps to identify the dependent clause.

• * The children played after the rain stopped. 

• • * In this example, the independent clause “the children played” starts the sentence and is followed by the dependent clause “after the rain stopped.”
  • * Because the independent clause starts the sentence, no comma is needed.
  • * (IC DC)

A complex sentence may have more than one dependent clause as illustrated by this example.

• * After the rain stopped, the children played while their parents chatted.

• • * In this example, a dependent clause starts the sentence, followed by an independent clause and a second dependent clause.
  • * (DC, IC DC)

Compound-complex Sentences 

A compound-complex sentence is the most advanced sentence structure type. It is created by combining two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. The punctuation rules follow the same pattern as with the other sentence types. Consider these examples:

• * After the rain stopped, the children played, and their parents chatted. 

• • • * In this example of a compound-complex sentence, a dependent clause is followed by two independent clauses, which are joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction.
    • * (DC, IC, IC)

• After the rain stopped, the children played, and their parents chatted while they sipped their coffee.

• • In this example of a compound-complex sentence, a dependent clause is followed by two independent clauses, which are joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction and followed by a second dependent clause.
  • * (DC, IC, IC DC)

For a complete grammar and composition curriculum, consider Essentials in Writing. Combining short and engaging video lessons with learning activities and writing prompts that will appeal to your students, EIW takes the burden off the homeschool teacher. With the click of a button, your students will learn how to compose effective sentences, paragraphs, and multi-paragraph compositions. Check out our Level Wizard today to choose the level that is perfect for your homeschool student.

Why is Writing so Difficult for Some Students?

To start, the teacher should try to see the task of writing from an inexperienced writer’s perspective. When it comes to writing, there are so many moving parts. Most homeschool teachers cannot even remember a time when they couldn’t read and write fluently. It’s easy to forget that young students are still developing the skills experienced writers take for granted. For some students, especially early elementary-aged students, writing can seem like a daunting task.

At this age, students are still cultivating the fine motor skills that allow them to grip a pencil with ease. While experienced writers automatically know to start a sentence with a capital letter and end it with a punctuation mark, young students may need reminders. To them, this process may feel more like translating from a first language to a second language. They have to come up with what to write. Then they have to remember or figure out how to spell each word and how to make all the letters. But they can’t forget about the mechanics of a grammatically correct sentence. When it comes to writing paragraphs and multi-paragraph essays, there are even more rules and guidelines to remember. It’s no wonder that students, especially struggling writers, often feel overwhelmed! Luckily, there are many ways that you can help them let go of the stress and get in touch with their creativity.

What Are Some Ways to Motivate Students to Write?

Offer Effective and Engaging Writing Prompts

Students have an easier time writing when they are inspired by quality writing prompts. Choose writing prompts that provide clear expectations and guidance and also allow some student choice. That way students will feel confident that they know what is expected and excited to write about something meaningful to them. 

Model the Writing Process

Teachers often tell students “show, don’t tell” when it comes to writing. The same advice applies to teaching composition. Teachers should model each step of the writing process and then have their students immediately apply the step to their own writing project. Think aloud as you model to show students how to work through each step. That way students know exactly what to do when it’s their turn to write.

Break the Writing into Bite-sized Chunks

For best results, have the students work on one piece of the writing at a time over several days. 

• Introduce one or two writing concepts or skills at a time so that students can better retain the information.
• Allow students to dedicate plenty of time to the prewriting phase so that they will feel prepared to move on to drafting. 
• Let them work at a comfortable pace while drafting and allow them to take breaks when you see them getting frustrated or fatigued. 
• Once they have completed their first draft, let it sit overnight before asking them to work on revisions.

Breaking up the work into small do-able steps helps students make incremental progress without overworking or overwhelming them. In turn, the students will feel more motivated to write.

Provide Mentor Texts for Inspiration

When they get stuck, one of the best ways to motivate students to write is to have them read quality mentor texts, readings that are similar to the kind of writing they are attempting. As they read, encourage them to notice and discuss the elements that make the writing successful. Then they will feel motivated to try some of those techniques in their own writing. 

Use Graphic Organizers

Find or create graphic organizers, especially during the prewriting phase, to help your students stay focused. For some reason, filling in boxes is less intimidating than trying to fill a blank page. Using graphic organizers helps students to work more independently because they provide a roadmap of what to include. Graphic organizers work well for most students, but they are one of the most vital writing strategies for students who have learning challenges or who tend to struggle with writing. With a graphic organizer, students can focus on one thing at a time and avoid becoming overwhelmed.

Respect the Students’ Autonomy

Students work harder and get more fulfillment from their work when they feel that they are in charge of their own learning. Sometimes the best course of action is to withhold writing advice and constructive criticism, even when it seems counterintuitive. Writing is an especially personal process. Allow students to make their own writing decisions even when those decisions seem like mistakes. Just like in life, students learn best by correcting their own mistakes. With effective teacher modeling of the writing process, most students will be able to identify and correct any major issues on their own.

Encourage Students to Self-Assess

As students approach the revising and editing phase, give them the opportunity to evaluate their own work using the checklist or rubric you will use to assess their final draft. Ask them to read their own work with their “teacher hat” on so that they can ensure the required elements are present and try to identify errors to correct. Answer all their questions, as honestly and accurately as possible, whether they’re about content, format, or mechanics. Giving struggling writers an opportunity to fix their own mistakes and make their own improvements to their work will build their confidence and sense of independence.

Allow Students to Rewrite Assignments When Appropriate

When the final draft doesn’t meet the mark and the students wish to improve it further, by all means let them do it! Even professional writers get a do-over if their work doesn’t satisfy their editors. There is no harm in allowing students to re-write an assignment in order to improve it. In fact, it’s a cause for celebration and a sign that they’re invested in the work. Additionally, it reinforces the writing process and allows students to do as many revisions as they need to reach success. When teachers allow students to revise again, the rubric or checklist becomes a teaching tool rather than a “gotcha.” In turn, the students begin to see the writing process as constructive instead of punitive.

Find Authentic Ways to Publish Student Writing

One of the most effective ways to motivate students to write is by providing an opportunity to share their work with a real audience. When they know their work will be read by someone who isn’t their teacher, students feel a deeper sense of purpose for their writing. Provide opportunities for your students to:

• write letters to friends, family, or government leaders.
• host a writer’s cafe (in real life or virtually) in which students can read their work to one another.
• participate in a writing contest.
• create and regularly contribute to a newsletter or literary magazine within your homeschool co-op.
• write a blog or social media post (with careful supervision and attention to safety, of course).
• write letters to the editor of a newspaper to share concerns or simply to thank someone in the community.
• interview family members and create a book of family memories.

Be Sure the Writing Task is Appropriate for the Student’s Writing Level

When planning a writing project, the teacher should take the students’ writing level into account. If the writing task is too simplistic, students may lose interest or feel insulted. If it’s too difficult, students may become frustrated and give up.

If you’re looking for a complete homeschool writing curriculum, consider Essentials in Writing. Offering complete writing courses for grade levels 1-12, EIW will keep your students motivated and take the burden off the homeschool parent. EIW has it all: engaging writing prompts, short-but-sweet video lessons that model the writing process step-by-step, graphic organizers, rubrics and checklists, and more. Check out the EIW Level Wizard today to find the perfect level for your homeschool student.

What is a Paragraph?

A paragraph is a group of sentences that develop a single topic. Paragraphs allow writers to organize their thoughts so that the reader can follow their ideas. In a multi-paragraph essay or other piece of writing, the reader can readily notice where each paragraph begins because the first sentence of each paragraph is indented. Breaking up a piece of writing into paragraphs allows the writer and the reader to focus on one individual topic at a time.

How to Structure A Paragraph

Teaching paragraph writing begins by introducing the main components of a paragraph. Writers should begin each paragraph by indenting. From there, each paragraph consists of three parts: the opening sentence (also called a topic sentence), the body sentences (also called detail sentences or supporting sentences), and the closing sentence (also called the conclusion sentence).

Opening Sentence

A paragraph should begin with an opening sentence (also called a topic sentence). The opening sentence identifies the subject or main idea of the paragraph. In the graphic above, it is represented by the top bun. When teaching your homeschool students about opening sentences, remind them that it should be a general introduction to the subject of the paragraph. Depending on the student’s level, he or she may also need to consider the purpose and audience for the piece of writing. For instance, in a persuasive paragraph, the opening sentence would state the writer’s position about the topic. Any specific details should be saved for the next section of the paragraph: the body sentences.

Body/Detail Sentences

Body sentences (also called detail sentences or supporting sentences) are where the bulk of the development occurs in a piece of writing. In the graphic above, the body sentences are represented by the meat, cheese, and other fillings in the hamburger. The body sentences should give details and examples that support the topic introduced in the opening sentence. The type of information presented in the body sentences will depend on the purpose of the writing. If the purpose is to persuade, one would expect to find evidence to support an argument as well as interpretations of the evidence. In an expository paragraph, the body would likely be comprised of details and explanations that further develop the idea presented in the opening sentence.

Closing Sentence

The final sentence in a paragraph is the closing sentence (also called the conclusion sentence or statement). The closing sentence wraps up the topic and provides a sense of closure so that the audience feels like they have reached a stopping point. In the graphic above, the closing sentence is represented by the bottom bun. In a multi-paragraph essay or other piece of writing, the closing sentence may also include some type of transition to the next topic in the piece of writing.

Curriculum Resources for Teaching Paragraph Structure

For a stress-free teaching and learning experience, you may want to seek out curriculum resources to use in your homeschool. Essentials in Writing offers writing curricula for all ages and ability levels from first grade to college bound seniors. It includes video lessons with step-by-step modeling of how to write each part of a paragraph as well as handy graphic organizers that will make paragraph writing simple, easy, and fun for your homeschool students.

Writing Process Steps

Prewriting

Prewriting refers to the activities the student engages in as he or she is preparing to write the first draft. Depending on the age of the student and the nature of the assignment, prewriting activities may vary. The goal during this step is for students to narrow down their topic, gather ideas and information, and develop a writing plan. Some students want to rush past this part of the writing process or skip it altogether. Don’t let them! Learning to implement effective prewriting strategies is an important skill and crucial to their writing success, especially as they get older and encounter more complex writing tasks.

Brainstorming

For many assignments, it is appropriate for students to begin by brainstorming. While brainstorming, students examine the prompt, consider their options for topics, and then narrow down to one topic. The approach to this step varies greatly depending on the nature of the assignment or writing task. Many students find it helpful to list as many ideas as they can. From there, the student can narrow down his or her three top ideas and, finally, choose one topic to focus on in the writing assignment. Once they’ve narrowed down to one topic, it’s a good idea for them to assess their topic by asking themselves the following questions:

1. Does the topic fit the prompt?
2. Is the topic narrow enough that it can be covered in the piece of writing?
3. Do I know enough about the topic to develop it adequately in the piece of writing?

Conducting Research

Once the students narrow down to a workable topic for the composition, they may need to do some research to gather information. In most cases, this will involve looking for books at the library and doing some searching on the internet. If the assignment is a formal research paper or the requirements include a bibliography, students may need reminders about writing down source information. For personal topics, the student may conduct some of the research by looking at photos or talking with family and friends about memories of past events.

Planning and Organizing

After brainstorming to arrive at a topic and gathering information through research, the students are ready to plan and organize their compositions. The main purpose of this step in the writing process is for the students to come up with a logical structure and sequence they will use to convey their ideas in the writing. It is not necessary for the students to write their plan in complete sentences. By the end of this step, students should have a summary of what will be discussed in each paragraph or section of their compositions.

At this stage, students may need support from the teacher. It would be appropriate for the teacher to provide the students with a graphic organizer to ensure that they are including all the required parts of the assignment (for example: intro, body paragraphs, and conclusion). As students become more independent, they may learn to create their own graphic organizers using bullet points or by drawing boxes on a page.

As they begin writing, students may decide to deviate somewhat from their writing plan, but it is still well worth the time spent. Having a plan will help the student stay focused and on-topic in the next step: drafting.

Drafting

In this part of the writing process, students convert the ideas from their writing plan to a first draft of their composition. At this juncture, students should aim to have a clear beginning, middle, and end. That doesn’t mean they have to work in that order. Some students have better luck by starting with the body of the composition and then writing the introduction and conclusion. Students should try to include all the relevant details from their writing plan in sentence form. Remind students that the first draft, also called the rough draft, doesn’t have to be perfect. Any mechanical errors can be corrected later. If they say, “I don’t know what to write,” remind them to look at their writing plans.

When Students Get Stuck

While robust prewriting strategies are helpful, some students will inevitably hit a roadblock during the drafting phase. This can happen for a number of reasons, but with a little guidance and support, you can help them get past it. Here are a few ideas to try when you see your students staring at a blank page:

1. Give students permission to silence the inner critic. Talk to them about the internal dialogue in their heads. If there is a voice telling them they can’t do it or that their writing must be “perfect,” you can remind them that they have the power to override that voice. You might have them repeat a short mantra such as, “I CAN do this,” or “It doesn’t have to be perfect,” when the inner critic rears its ugly head.
2. Talk it out. Some students write better when they have the opportunity to work out their ideas orally. Let students tell you or another student about their ideas before they write them down.
3. Ask questions. If students are having trouble developing certain sections of their draft, the teacher can look at their writing plan and ask them some questions to lead them to better development. When the student answers your questions, say something like, “Oooh, that’s good. Now write that down!”
4. Give students a “wiggle break.” If you see a student has become very frustrated, it’s unlikely that he or she will be very productive in that state. Take the pressure off by suggesting an impromptu dance party or having them take a short walk. A bit of movement often helps the students release some anxiety and allows them to focus when they get back to work.

Revising

During the revising step of the writing process, students will look for ways to improve their first draft. It’s a good idea to wait a day or two after the first draft is complete. This way students can evaluate their work with a fresh perspective. Encourage students to read their work aloud to themselves or to a partner as they touch each word. This forces them to slow down and take notice of details that might have escaped them otherwise.

The teacher should provide some guidance about what kinds of things the student should be looking to revise. In most pieces, students will want to:

1. Examine their content to be sure it’s relevant to the topic, well-organized, and developed in depth
2. Improve word choice by replacing boring or overused words with more vivid adjectives and action verbs
3. Check sentence construction to be sure that it is correct and includes a variety of structures and lengths

The type of composition dictates other areas on which to focus during this step. For instance, if the students are writing a personal narrative, they may want to focus on transition words that help the reader follow the action. They might also want to try adding dialogue to make the story more vivid to the reader.

Editing and Publishing Final Draft

After the student has finished revising, he or she is ready for the final stage of the writing process: editing and publishing the final draft. At this juncture, students should look for any issues that hinder the reader’s understanding of what they are trying to communicate as well as mechanical errors present in the writing. Depending on the age and ability of the students, they may require some support during this process including:

1. Assistance with spelling
2. Reminders of grammar, punctuation, and capitalization rules
3. Help identifying problem areas that lack clarity

Once they have corrected their first drafts, they are ready to publish the final draft. This might mean handwriting it neatly on a clean sheet of paper or typing it using a word processor. In some cases, students may create a little book or glue their writing to a poster board. Younger students may want to add illustrations to their final product.

If possible, find opportunities for the student to share his or her work with an audience such as family, friends, or your homeschool co-op. This step will give the students a sense of accomplishment and honor their hard work.

Teaching and learning the writing process is hard work for homeschool teachers and students alike. For quality curriculum, including engaging video instruction, step-by-step modeling of the writing process, graphic organizers, and more, check out Essentials in Writing. Serving students in grades 1- 12, EIW will take the burden off the homeschool parent/teacher and help your homeschool students develop excellent writing skills that will prepare them for college and beyond.

What is a Writing Curriculum?

The term “curriculum” is used to describe the academic content and learning activities of a particular course. Within a homeschool writing curriculum, one would expect to find:

• * learning objectives that state what students should know about writing (academic vocabulary, grammar rules, writing genres, components of a paragraph, etc.) and/or be able to do at the end of the course (usually involves applying knowledge to produce some type of writing product)
• * plans for lessons and class activities used in sequence to teach and reinforce student learning (reading, lectures, note taking, videos, discussions, learning games, group work, etc.)
• * assignments that allow students to apply and practice what they’ve learned (worksheets, journaling, graphic organizers, free writing, written responses to practice writing prompts, etc.)
• * assessments that evaluate student learning (quizzes, tests, projects, written responses to writing prompts, presentations, etc.)

Writing Curriculum Pros

• * provides a logically sequenced learning pathway for teacher and student
• * includes both learning activities and assessments that are aligned with learning goals
• * is aligned to a student’s grade level or ability level
• * can be modified or used with accommodations for students with learning challenges
• * allows for flexibility in pacing and teacher selection of activities
• * saves time and energy for the homeschool teacher
• * makes it possible to collaborate with other homeschool families who use the same curriculum

What is a Writing Prompt?

Writing prompts are an important tool within a writing curriculum. A writing prompt is a question or statement that provides a starting point and directions for a piece of writing. During a unit of study, writing prompts are used to practice writing skills. As the unit comes to a close, a writing prompt can also be used as an evaluation tool to measure student progress. Writing prompts have important uses outside of a writing curriculum.

They are commonly used in courses other than writing to enable students to demonstrate their learning of many different types of content, including science, social studies, literature, and even math. In addition, many standardized achievement tests and college entrance exams include writing prompts to evaluate students’ understanding of content and students’ writing abilities.

Here are a couple of examples of writing prompts:

• * “Some people in life come and go. Think about a person in your life who has had an impact on the person you are today. Write a five paragraph expository essay, with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion, to people your age explaining how this person has impacted you in a positive way. Develop your ideas with specific details and examples.”
• * “Write an essay explaining the chain of events that led to World War I. Your multi-paragraph essay should be between 500-750 words.”

Writing Prompt Pros

• * gives students a starting point for a piece of writing
• * helps students generate writing ideas with ease
• * provides clear directions
• * makes it possible to measure student learning of specific writing skills and content objectives during a unit so that the teacher can make adjustments/reteach as necessary
• * allows the teacher to understand the student’s thought process to a much greater extent than multiple choice or short answer questions
• * can be used as an evaluation tool at the end of a learning unit

For a complete homeschool writing curriculum, consider giving Essentials in Writing a try! With EIW, you’ll get the complete package: engaging video lessons, student-friendly text examples and explanations, practice activities, and of course, expertly-designed writing prompts with accompanying rubrics and checklists. Offering curricula for grades 1-12, EIW makes at-home writing instruction a breeze for parents and a pleasure for students. Check out our level wizard to find the curriculum that best fits your child’s needs.

What is Formal Writing?

Formal writing is used in academic and business settings or in other situations when the writer does not have a personal or familiar relationship with the recipient of the piece of writing. Formal writing should be used when writing essays for an academic assignment, business letters and emails, and any writing done for legal purposes. In these situations, the writer uses language, conventions, and style to make the best possible impression on the audience.

Specifically, the writer should maintain a sense of formality by:

• * choosing language and sentence structure that creates a respectful tone
• * avoiding use of first and second person singular pronouns (in most cases)
• * omitting contractions, slang, and abbreviations
• * organizing and developing each paragraph with purpose and attention to proper structure
• * carefully editing for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar

What is Informal Writing?

Informal writing is used to communicate in a personal or casual context. In informal writing situations, the writer, in most cases, is already on familiar terms with the recipient(s) of the writing. This type of writing might be used in a personal email or letter to a friend or family member, in text messages, or in social media posts done in a personal context. In general, informal writing is conversational and less concerned with proper paragraph and sentence construction.

In informal writing, the writer may:

• * use contractions, abbreviations, and slang to communicate in a style that resembles oral language
• * use first and second person
• * pay little attention to spelling, grammar, or general editing
• * deviate from traditional sentence and paragraph structure

How to Write Different Types of Essays

There are many types of essays, and each requires a slightly different approach. When writing essays for an academic assignment, the first step is to carefully read the prompt or instructions for guidelines or requirements given by the teacher. From there, the writer will want to consider the purpose and audience of the piece of writing when making choices regarding the style and content.

Most essays follow the same basic structure: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. While the styles of writing are different with each type of essay, the structure of a formal essay is as follows:

Introduction: The introduction should begin with a hook to capture the reader’s attention. The middle sentences of the introduction should contain some general discussion or context about the topic, but any specific details should be saved for the body paragraphs. The thesis statement, the sentence that communicates the main idea of the piece of writing, is usually the last sentence of the introduction.

Body Paragraphs: There are generally three body paragraphs in a formal essay, although depending on the nature of the assignment or level of the student, there may be more or fewer body paragraphs. Each body paragraph should be centered around a topic that supports the thesis and that is identified by the body paragraph’s opening sentence. The middle of each body paragraph should contain details and examples that develop the topic. Each body paragraph should end with a closing sentence that signals the end of discussion on that point and then transitions to the next body paragraph. 

Conclusion: The conclusion, or final paragraph, should restate the thesis, add some elaboration, and end with a thought-provoking ending statement.

Expository Essays

An expository essay is written in order to explain or inform an audience about a topic. The writer should take care to present facts and details without including persuasive tactics. Expository essays, like most other essays, should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Introduction: The introduction should begin with a hook that captures the audience’s attention. For an expository essay, a startling statistic or interesting anecdote related to the topic works well. At the end of the introduction, the writer should include a clear and concise thesis that states the main idea of the essay. Often the thesis will come directly from the prompt, so students should read it carefully for clues about what should be included in the thesis.

Body Paragraphs:  The body of an expository essay should be organized so that each body paragraph  centers on one main aspect of the overall topic. Each body paragraph should start with an opening sentence that identifies the subject of the paragraph. Within each body paragraph, the writer should include details accompanied by specific examples and explanations that inform the audience and help them have a deeper overall understanding of the topic. The writer should take care to order the information in a logical sequence so that the reader can easily follow the ideas.

Conclusion: The conclusion of an expository essay should restate the thesis and provide closure for the topic in an engaging way. The conclusion should not provide any new information.

Personal Essays

A personal essay is a specific type of expository essay explaining something from the author’s life or perspective. Because of the personal nature of the writing, first person pronouns (I, me, etc.) are permissible in this type of composition. 

A personal essay should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each section should be developed as follows:

Introduction: The introduction should start with a hook that generates interest about the topic. Many writers like to begin a personal essay with a vivid description, thought-provoking question, or a glimpse of the action to come later in the essay. The thesis should directly state the main idea or main event that the essay will discuss.

Body Paragraphs: The body paragraphs of a personal essay should include an explanation of the thoughts and feelings of the writer about the topic. If the personal essay is narrative, the writer should also include a descriptive account of the events that occurred in chronological order and use transitions to help the reader understand the sequence of events.

Conclusion: The conclusion, or final paragraph, should restate the thesis and include some final thoughts about the event or topic.

Persuasive Essays

A persuasive essay seeks to make an argument to move the audience to act, believe, or feel a certain way. In a persuasive essay, the writer takes an arguable position or stance on a particular topic and provides evidence to convince the audience to agree with that position. The writer should approach the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion as follows:

Introduction: The introduction should begin with an engaging hook, such as a thought-provoking rhetorical question or a surprising fact or statistic that provides an entry into the topic followed by some general background information about the topic. The thesis statement should clearly state the writer’s position on the topic using language that provides a sense of urgency to the reader. In order to successfully persuade his or her audience, the writer must establish the topic as something worthy of time and attention.

Body Paragraphs: The body paragraphs should each be centered around a point related to the thesis that the writer seeks to prove with evidence and examples. The writer must interpret the evidence to show how it connects to the point he or she is trying to make. The writer should use strong language designed to appeal to the audience’s logic and emotions in order to persuade them to agree with the writer’s position. At the same time, the writer should take care not to overdo in this department so that he or she doesn’t inadvertently create a comical tone instead of a passionate one. The closing sentence of each body paragraph should connect the point made in the opening sentence to the overall thesis of the essay. 

Conclusion: The conclusion of a persuasive essay is incredibly important to the success of the essay. The writer should restate the thesis and include a call to action that tells the audience exactly what they should do now that they have been enlightened by the writer’s argumentation. The conclusion should also provide the “so what?” — the reasoning that motivates the audience to care about the topic and to act accordingly.

Compare/Contrast Essays

A compare/contrast essay is another specific type of expository essay and, as the name implies, involves a study of two subjects and explains their similarities and differences. Generally the writer chooses points of comparison and explains how the two subjects are similar and different in regard to those points. The writer should not feel pressured to provide an equal amount of development on both the similarities and differences. Like other essays, a compare/contrast essay should include an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction: The writer should start the introduction with a hook that captures the audience’s attention and brings the subjects into focus, such as a vivid description or an interesting anecdote. The middle sentences should elaborate on the subject and lead into the thesis, which states the writer’s intent to explain how the two subjects are similar and different. 

Body Paragraphs: Each opening sentence should introduce a point of comparison or contrast between the two subjects. The middle sentences should provide details and examples that support the comparison or contrast, usually through the use of concrete details and descriptions.

Conclusion: The conclusion should include a restatement of the thesis and any final thoughts or insights the writer wishes to share about the two subjects.

If you’re looking for a complete homeschool writing curriculum, consider giving Essentials in Writing a try! With EIW, you’ll get the complete package: engaging video lessons that show how to write many types of essays with step-by-step instructions and modeling, student-friendly text examples and explanations, practice activities, and expertly-designed writing prompts with accompanying rubrics and checklists. Offering curricula for grades 1-12, EIW makes at-home writing instruction a breeze for parents and a pleasure for students. Check out our level wizard to find the curriculum that best fits your child’s needs.

Four Types of Paragraphs

Expository Paragraph

An expository paragraph’s primary purpose is to provide information and or explanation of something. The name “expository” suggests that a topic is “exposed” through the writing. In an expository paragraph, the writer would want to be sure to provide details and explanations that allow the reader to better understand the topic.

Like most types of paragraphs, the structure of the expository paragraph consists of three main parts: the opening sentence, body sentences, and a closing sentence.

1. The opening sentence introduces the topic.
2. The body sentences (also called detail sentences) provide specific details and explanations about the topic.
3. The closing sentence brings the topic to a conclusion by restating the topic and giving the reader a sense of having reached a stopping point.

Example of an expository paragraph: In recent years a new food trend has been growing in popularity — eating locally grown and raised food. Concerned citizens trying to reduce their carbon footprints have grown increasingly more aware of how far food must be shipped. Rather than shipping their fruits and vegetables across the country, farmers can sell directly to consumers at local farmers markets or to local grocery stores within a 50 mile radius. By selling their goods to local consumers, farmers can reduce the amount of fossil fuels burned during shipping. Consumers who seek out locally grown food often report that the food is of higher quality than food shipped hundreds or thousands of miles. Without extensive shipping times, local food spends less time in transit and can conceivably make it from the farm to the consumer’s table in a matter of several hours or a few days. With less time to degrade during the shipping process, locally grown foods are often fresher and tastier than foods that spend days or weeks in transit. With these benefits, the trend of eating locally is likely to continue.

Persuasive Paragraph

The purpose of a persuasive paragraph is to convince an audience to agree with the writer’s point of view. In order to be successful, the writer must choose a topic and take a position or state an opinion. The writer must support the position with relevant facts and examples. In order to be effective, the writer should consider the audience when making choices about what kind of evidence to include in the paragraph.

The structure of a persuasive paragraph is similar to other types of paragraphs.

1.  A persuasive paragraph should begin with an opening sentence that states the topic and the writer’s position while capturing the audience’s attention.
2.  The body of the paragraph should contain a series of facts and examples that support the writer’s position.
3.  The closing sentence should restate the writer’s position and usually includes a call to action that directs the reader to a certain course of action.

Example of a persuasive paragraph: People should choose to buy locally grown food whenever it is available. Locally grown food is better for the environment. By reducing shipping distances, fossil fuels can be conserved and carbon emissions can be diminished. In addition, locally grown food is superior in both nutrition and taste. Because locally grown foods can be distributed sooner after harvest, vitamin content and freshness are maximized. Produce that is shipped great distances often spends more time in storage and transit, which causes it to decrease in nutritional value and sometimes to become overripe or spoiled. The right choice is clear — buy locally grown food whenever possible!

Descriptive Paragraph

A descriptive paragraph uses sensory details to describe someone or something. Sensory details are descriptions that appeal to the reader’s physical senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. A well-written descriptive paragraph allows the reader to form a picture in his or her mind as he or she reads. Writers should include vivid adjectives and action verbs to help the reader with this process.

Descriptive paragraphs are structured like other paragraph types.

1.  A descriptive paragraph should begin with an opening sentence that includes the topic of the paragraph.
2.  The body sentences should be filled with sensory details that describe the topic.
3.  The closing sentence should restate the topic and provide a sense of closure.

Example descriptive paragraph: Farmers markets are a wonderland of bright colors and sweet smells. Wandering from booth to booth, the intoxicating aroma of ruby-red strawberries and fresh-cut cucumbers fills your nose. Rows and rows of farm-made cheeses and artisan breads beckon, begging to go home with you. You gaze at jars of golden honey, pickled cucumbers and okra, and fruit preserves of every kind and color. Friendly farmers tempt you with samples of sun-ripened tomatoes in shades of red, orange, and even purple. As you leave the farmers market with heavy bags and a full heart, you smile and make a promise to yourself to return again the next weekend and the next and the next.

Narrative Paragraph

A narrative paragraph tells about an event. The term personal narrative means that the writer is writing about an event that happened in his or her personal life experience. Narratives should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Most narratives are told in chronological order and use transitions (like “next” or “then”) to help the audience understand the flow of time. Narratives utilize descriptive writing and contain sensory details (imagery). Narrative writing is the basis of both fiction and non-fiction stories.

The structure of a narrative paragraph may vary depending on the writer’s purpose.

1.  When following the traditional model, the opening sentence should introduce the subject of the paragraph, which is usually the main action of the story.
2.  The body should include details about what happened. These details are usually conveyed in chronological order and separated with transition words that help the audience understand the sequence of events.
3.  The closing sentence should restate the topic or subject and bring the action to a close.

In a work of fiction or when approaching the writing from a non-traditional style, sometimes writers deviate from the traditional paragraph structure as a matter of creative license.

Example of a narrative paragraph: Last Saturday, I visited a local farmers market. I didn’t know what to expect, but having been urged by a friend to try to eat more locally, I decided to give it a try. As I entered the farmers market, my nose was immediately greeted by the inviting scent of fresh strawberries. I meandered from booth to booth admiring the piles of brightly colored fruits and vegetables. As I examined yellow and green varieties of squash, cucumbers of all sizes, and tomatoes of all shapes and colors, I had a hard time deciding what to buy. Sensing my dilemma, a kind farmer offered me a sample of watermelon with a wink and tip of his hat. “Picked fresh today,” he said with a smile. As I bit into the fruit, the sweet juice cooled my parched throat. Later, as I left the market with two bags full of delectable produce, I vowed to eat locally whenever possible.

Learning to write quality paragraphs will help your homeschool student soar to writing success. For quality curriculum, including engaging video instruction, step-by-step modeling of the writing process, graphic organizers, engaging writing prompts, and more, check out Essentials in Writing. Serving students in grades 1- 12, EIW will take the burden off the homeschool parent/teacher and help your homeschool students develop excellent writing skills that will prepare them for college and beyond. Try out our Level Wizard today!

What is Free Writing?

Free writing involves writing down ideas as they occur in the brain. The focus of this type of writing is simply to get the writer’s thinking on paper, not the format or mechanics of the writing itself. There are no rules regarding the output except that the student must keep his or her pencil moving for a certain length of time, which varies by age. Elementary students might be expected to free write for 2-3 minutes at a time, while secondary students might free write for a longer duration, usually between 5 and 15 minutes. Free writing is a tool to uncover ideas or to solidify the writer’s thinking, and it isn’t appropriate to grade or evaluate the writing itself. The main point is to help the writer capture ideas.

Even though it is called “free writing,” teachers need to give the students some kind of directive or question. The students then have the freedom to respond in whatever way they see fit. When free writing, students may respond in lists or phrases rather than in full sentences. Some students go the opposite direction and may produce long run-on sentences as they free write. Artistic or highly visual students may even throw in a drawing or doodle when free writing. By posing a question, the teacher can give students enough direction to help them get started, but by allowing a variety of forms in the output, the teacher encourages the students to engage deeply with their thoughts and feelings.

How Free Writing Helps Students Spark Ideas

Free writing allows writers to put aside any concerns about format and mechanics as they get in touch with their thoughts and feelings on a topic. By putting aside apprehension about the format of the writing, students can free up their creative side, power their critical thinking skills, and tap into ideas that linger below the surface. Free writing activities can help students overcome writer’s block, prepare them to learn, or help them process what they’ve learned.

There are many ways to utilize free writing activities in your homeschool classroom. You might try using free writing to:

*Spark ideas during the prewriting phase for a formal composition
*Assess students’ prior knowledge when beginning a unit of study
*Engage in critical thinking
*Come up with creative solutions to a problem
*Generate more development of an idea during the drafting phase for a formal composition
*Help students take a position when writing a persuasive paragraph or essay
*Give students low-stress writing practice to build writing fluency and/or grip strength
*Prepare students for a discussion activity
*Work through a conflict in literature or in life
*Understand another perspective
*Explore their interests or emotions
*Make personal connections to what they’ve learned

What is a Writing Prompt?

A writing prompt poses a question or specific writing task. Unlike free writing, a writing prompt sets parameters for the response. A writing prompt may stipulate the length, writing mode (expository, persuasive, narrative, or descriptive), and other aspects of the writing the students compose in response to the prompt. Generally, a writing prompt will allow the students some choice in how they choose to approach the topic, but the students must read the prompt carefully to be sure that they satisfy the requirements. It’s a good idea for the teacher to model how to read a prompt so that students understand how to look for the requirements.

Notice the requirements set by the teacher in this writing prompt: “Some people in life come and go. Think about a person in your life who has had an impact on the person you are today. Write an expository essay to people your age explaining how this person has impacted you in a positive way.” Note that this writing prompt gives instructions for the mode of writing (expository) and gives clear guidance on the content the writer must include (explain how a person in their lives has impacted them positively). This writing prompt also gives guidelines about the intended audience (“write…to people your age”). By establishing requirements in the prompt, the teacher communicates clear expectations to the student and sets him or her up for success in the writing task.

Why Writing Prompts are Helpful

Teachers often have students compose paragraphs or multi-paragraph essays in response to a writing prompt in order to help them practice their writing and/or to give them opportunities to demonstrate their learning. The teacher can design the prompt to elicit the specific skills they want to measure. The prompt in the section above would be used primarily to evaluate the student’s writing skills. The student’s response would help the teacher determine the following:

1. Does the student understand what expository writing is?
2. Can the student develop ideas using specific details?
3. Does the student understand how to write a composition with a clear beginning, middle, and end?
4. Does the student understand how to determine the appropriate word choice for a particular audience?
5. Does the student demonstrate a mastery of mechanics appropriate for his or her age?

Some writing prompts are less about the writing itself and more about the student showing his or her understanding of the academic content being learned. Consider this writing prompt: “Write an essay explaining the chain of events that led to World War I. Your essay should be between 500-750 words.” This writing prompt could be used as a learning check or summative/final evaluation of a history unit. The writing activity would give the students a good opportunity to practice their writing skills, but it’s likely that the teacher would be looking mainly at student mastery of the content to determine success on the writing task.

How to Design an Effective Writing Prompt

In order for a writing prompt to be effective, the teacher must be very thoughtful about the skills he or she hopes to measure through the assignment. The wording must be easily understandable to the student and must set clear expectations and limits. If the assignment will be graded, it helps to provide the checklist or rubric the teacher will be using to evaluate the work. By knowing how the writing will be graded, the expectations will be clearer to the student. These expectations may include:

1. The topic of the writing, though the student is usually allowed some choice in how to approach it
2. The mode of the writing, sometimes explicitly stated and other times implied by the verbs used in the prompt (“explain” = expository writing; “persuade” ; “convince” = persuasive writing; “describe” = descriptive writing; “tell about” ; “remember” ; “think about” = narrative writing)
3. The length of the writing
4. The audience of the writing
5. The required format of the writing (handwritten or typed, heading, spacing, font, etc.)

Designing effective writing prompts demands a great deal of time, energy, and expertise from the homeschool teacher. If you’re not looking to reinvent the wheel, consider Essentials in Writing. Offering complete writing curricula for grades 1-12, EIW provides a variety of effective writing prompts and accompanying checklists/rubrics. EIW will save you time and give your young writer all the tools he or she needs to be successful! Try our Level Wizard today to determine which level is right for your homeschool student.