I couldn't agree more—we need to actively teach students out of using the five-paragraph essay, which is little more than an organizational framework. An essay is a literary composition that expresses a certain idea, claim, or concept and backs it up with supporting statements. It will follow a logical. Writing assignment series The Five Paragraph Essay The five paragraph essay measures a student's basic writing skills, and is often a timed exercise. The introductory paragraph of any paper, long or short, should start with a sentence that piques the interest of your readers. Think of your first sentence. What is an argumentative essay? The argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic; collect, generate, and evaluate. In the body of the essay, all the preparation up to this point comes to fruition. The topic you have chosen must now be explained, described, or argued. It is a good idea to occasionally use linking words and phrases at the start of a new paragraph. They can help to link what you have said in the previous paragraph to. A classic format for compositions is the five-paragraph essay. It is not the only format for writing an essay, of course, but it is a useful model for you to keep in. Things NOT to do in an introductory paragraph: Apologize. Never suggest that you don't know what you're talking about or that you're not enough of an expert in this. How to Write an Essay. Throughout your academic career, you will usually be asked to write an essay. You may work on an assigned essay for class, enter an essay.