As a college student, you must have worked on different kinds of writing. You may have worked on assignments, essays, term papers, etc., Also, you must have worked on different types of essay. But do you know about those types? I am asking you this because working on different essay types and knowing them are two separate things. Everyone can work on an essay either by himself or by getting help from outside. However, there are very few who actually know different essay types.
With your presence here, it is not hard to guess that you do not know about the four main types of essay. You are here to learn about those types. Well, you have come to the right place. In today’s article, we are going to explore the four main types of essays and their purposes. There will also be some example topics at the end of each essay topic. Before starting out the discussion on the essay types, let’s define an essay.
What is an essay?
An essay is academic writing that explores an idea, issue, or a topic of the reader’s interest. It allows the reader to take a position on the issue being discussed and then give concrete facts and figures in support or in opposition to that taken position. The piece of writing gives detailed information about the chosen topic. Depending on the type of essay being written, it can also present the author’s opinions and thoughts on the subject.
Four main types of essay with their purpose
After reading the information above, you now have a good idea of the definition of an essay. However, the main topic of today’s discussion is to discuss the four main types of essay. Do you know what those types are? No! Thus, a brief description of each type of essay, along with its purpose, is as follows:
1. Argumentative essay
The first type of essay is known as argumentative. In this type of essay, the writer takes a position about the topic of the essay and then tries to convince the reader that his taken side is right. In order to do this, he performs extensive research and collects tons of pieces of evidence and arguments. After that, he presents them in writing to serve the essay’s purpose, i.e., convincing the reader. Some example topics of this essay are:
- Has the rise of the internet impacted education positively or negatively?
- Is a better healthcare system a fundamental right of every human?
- Should abortion be legal or illegal?
2. Narrative essay
The second most important types of essay are known as narrative. Narrative essays are essays that tell a story that is often personal. This essay allows you to be more creative in your thinking and shape the story in the way you want. Fiction is mostly what is used in narrative essay writing for the depiction of the story. Some example topics of this essay are as follows:
- The first time I drove my car on my house’s lawn
- A trip to Hawaii that I will never forget
- Talk about something that scares you a lot at nights
3. Descriptive essay
A descriptive essay is the third on the list of types of essay. As the name suggests, this essay is more aimed at describing the chosen essay topic. The tone of this essay remains neutral throughout, and the writer does not try to be convincing. A descriptive essay mainly focuses on the subject under discussion. It does not have anything to do with the story of the subject. Some example topics are as follows:
- Describe the strangest person you have ever met in your life
- Describe an inspiring friend or family member
- Describe a place you love the most as a child
4. Expository essay
The last type of essay on the list of the four main types of essay is known as the expository essay. An expository essay is just like a descriptive essay, but there exists a small difference between both essays. The expository essay explains the chosen essay topic neutrally. Some example topics of an expository essay are as follows:
- Explain why sometimes parents are very harsh over the use of technology
- Explain why you enjoy doing Maths all the time
- Describe the French Revolution in your own words
Conclusion
To sum up, an essay has four main types. The tone and content of the essay depend on the type of essay you are writing. In this guidepost, we have discussed all four main types of essay with example topics. So, read all the information given above and work on your essay accordingly. However, if you still cannot understand what you must write in your essay, you should buy essay online from essay writing services.
