Essay Types

Sutiadi Rahmansyah, S.S, M.Hum

Illustration/exemplification essay

Or

Exemplification illustrates a general statement with one or

more specific examples.

An exemplification essay uses specific examples to

support a thesis.
 Questions prompt examples
Discuss the worst job you ever had, including
plenty of specific examples to support your
thesis.

Thesis statement:
My summer job at a fast-food restaurant was my
all-time worst job because of the endless stream
of rude customers, many boring and repetitive
tasks I had to perform, and my managers
insensitive treatment of employees.
 Questions prompt examples
Should children be taught only in their native
languages or in English as well? Support your
answer with examples of specific students
experiences.

Thesis statement:
The success of students in a bilingual third-grade
class suggests the value of teaching elementary
school students in English as well as in their
native languages.
Illustration essay outlines
Essay examples
Going to Extremes
For years, sports like football, baseball, and
basketball have been popular in cities, suburbs, and
Intro small rural towns. For some young people, however,

these sports no longer seem exciting, especially when

compared to extreme sports, such as snowboarding
Thesis and BMX racing. Extreme sports are different from
more familiar sports because they are dangerous,
3 topics physically challenging, and require specialized
equipment.
Topic sentence First, extreme sports are dangerous.
Example 1 For example, snowboarders take chances
(supporting 1) with snowy hills and unpredictable bumps.
They zoom down mountains at high speeds,
Developing 1 which is typical of extreme sports. In
addition, snowboarders and skateboarders
risk painful falls as they do their tricks. Also,
many extreme sports, like rock climbing,
Example 2
(supporting 2)
bungee jumping, and sky diving, are
performed at very high altitudes. Moreover,
the bungee jumper has to jump from a very
Developing 2 high place, and there is always a danger of
getting tangled with the bungee cord. People
Conclusion who participate in extreme sports accept
and even enjoythese dangers.
 In addition, extreme sports are very
Topic sentence
difficult. For instance, surfers have to learn
(physical challenge to balance surfboards while dealing with
Extended version)
wind and waves. Bungee jumpers may have
to learn how to do difficult stunts while
jumping off a high bridge or a dam. Another
Example 1 example of the physical challenge of extreme
(supporting 1) sports can be found in BMX racing. BMX
racers have to learn to steer a lightweight
Developing bike on a dirt track that has jumps and
banked corners. These extreme sports
require skills that most people do not
naturally have. These special skills have to be
Conclusion learned, and participants in extreme sports
enjoy this challenge.
Topic sentence
(special equipment)
Finally, almost all extreme sports require
specialized equipment. For example, surfers need
Example 1 surfboards that are light but strong. They can
(supporting 1) choose epoxy boards, which are stronger, or
fiberglass boards, which are lighter. They can
choose shortboards, which are shorter than
seven feet and are easier to maneuver. Or, they
Developing
can use longboards, which are harder and slower
to turn in the water but are easier to learn on.
Also, surfers have to get special wax for their
boards to keep from slipping as they are paddling
out into the water. For surfing in cold water, they
need wetsuits that trap their own body heat.
Other extreme sports require different kinds of
Conclusion specialized equipment, but those who participate
in them are willing to buy whatever they need.
Concluding signal Extreme sports have become
Topic increasingly popular in recent years, and
television has helped to increase their
popularity. For example, in 2002 and
Example 1
2006, snowboarding and other extreme
(supporting 1) sports were featured in the Winter
Olympics. In the future, the Olympics will
include skateboarding and BMX racing.
Already, the Summer and Winter X
Developing Games are televised on ESPN and ABC.
Sports like BMX racing, snowboarding,
surfing, and snowmobiling get national
attention on these programs. With all this
Concluding publicity, extreme sports are likely to
sentence become even more popular.
 Comparison/contrast essay

Comparison identifies similarities; contrast identifies

differences. Comparison-and-contrast essays explain how two
things are alike or how they are different; sometimes, they
discuss both similarities and differences.
 Questions prompt examples
What basic similarities do you find in the
beliefs of Henry David Thoreau and Martin
Luther King Jr.?

Thesis statement:
Although King was more politically active,
both he and Thoreau strongly supported the
idea of civil disobedience.
 Questions prompt examples
How do the diets of native Japanese and
Japanese Americans differ?

Thesis statement:
As they become more and more assimilated,
Japanese Americans consume more fats than
native Japanese do.
Comparison/contrast essay outlines
Here is an example of a one-sided contrast:
American trains go to only a few towns, are
infrequent, and are often shabby and
uncomfortable. In contrast, European trains are
much nicer. (not developed)

The following example is a better-written contrast,

which gives attention to both topics:
American trains go to only a few large cities, run
infrequently, and are often shabby and
uncomfortable. In contrast, European trains go
to virtually every small town, are always
dependable, and are clean and attractive.
(developed)
 Point by point paragraph examples
Topic sentence Now, of course, I know that it was as
difficult being a girl as it was a boy, if not more so.
Supporting 1 While I stood paralyzed at one end of a dance
(explain) floor trying to find the courage to ask a girl for a
Supporting 1 dance, most of the girls waited in terror at the
(contrast) other, afraid that no one, not even I, would ask
Supporting 2 them. And while I resented having to ask a girl for
(explain) a date, wasnt it also horrible to be the one who
Supporting 2 waited for the phone to ring? And how many of
(contrast) those girls who laughed at me making a fool of
Supporting 3 myself on the baseball diamond would have
(explain)
Supporting 3
gladly given up their places on the sidelines for
(contrast)
mine on the field?
 Block method paragraph examples
Topic sentence Now, of course, I know that it was as difficult
being a girl as it was being a boy, if not more so. I stood
paralyzed at one end of the dance floor trying to find
Supporting 1,2,3 the courage to ask a girl for a dance. I also resented
(explain) having to ask a girl for a date. Furthermore, I often felt
foolish on the baseball diamond. On the other hand,
Supporting 1,2,3 most of the girls waited in terror at the other end of
(contrast) the dance floor, afraid that no one, not even I, would
ask them to dance. In addition, it was a horrible
situation for the girls who had to wait for the phone to
ring, hoping for a date. And how many of those girls
who stood on the sidelines would have gladly traded
places with me on the baseball diamond?
The example contrasts high school classes with college classes.
 Essay example using block method
Another Ordinary Day
Boys are from Jupiter and get
Intro duction stupider / Girls are from Mars and become
movie stars / Boys take a bath and smell
like trash / Girls take a shower and smell
like a flower. As simple playground songs
like this one suggest, the two sexes are very
different. As adults, men and women have
similar goals, values, and occupations, but
as children and teenagers, boys and girls
often seem to belong to two different
species. In fact, from the first moment of
Thesis sentence the day to the last, the typical boy and girl
live very different lives.
Topic sentence The sun rises, and the alarm clock signals the
beginning of another day for Johnny and Jane, two
seventh-grade classmates. Johnny, an average thirteen
year-old boy, wakes up late and has to hurry (1). He
A Supporting throws on his favorite jeans, a baggy T-shirt, and a
sentence 1,2,3 baseball cap (2). Then, he has a hearty high-cholesterol
breakfast and runs out of the house to school, usually
forgetting some vital book or homework assignment
(3). Jane, unlike Johnny, wakes up early and takes her
time (1 C). She takes a long shower and then blow-dries
B Supporting
her hair. For Jane, getting dressed can be a very difficult
sentence 1,2,3 in
contrast with A on
process, one that often includes taking everything out
same topic of her closet and calling friends for advice (2 C). After
she makes her decision, she helps herself to some food
(probably low- or no-fat) and goes off to school, making
sure she has with her everything she needs (3 C).
Topic sentence School is a totally different experience for Johnny
and Jane. Johnny will probably sit in the back of the
classroom with a couple of other guys, throwing paper
A Supporting airplanes and spitballs (1). These will be directed at the
sentence and its males they do not like and the females they think are
developing kind of cute. (However, if their male friends ever ask
the boys about these girls, they will say girls are just
losers and deny that they like any of them.) On the
opposite side of the classroom, however, Jane is
focused on a very different kind of activity. At first, it
looks as if she is carefully copying the algebra notes
B Supporting that the teacher is putting on the board, but her notes
sentence in contrast have absolutely nothing to do with algebra (1 C).
with A and its Instead, she is writing about boys, clothes, and other
developing topics that are much more important to her than the
square root of one hundred twenty-one. She proceeds
to fold the note into a box or other creative shape,
which can often put origami to shame. As soon as the
teacher turns her back, the note is passed and the
process begins all over again.
Topic sentence
Lunch, a vital part of the school day, is also
very different for Johnny and Jane. On the one
hand, for Johnny and his friends, it is a time to
A Supporting
compare baseball cards, exchange sports facts,
sentence 1 &2 and of course tell jokes about every bodily
function imaginable (1). In front of them on the
table, their trays are filled with pizza, soda, fries,
and chips, and this food is their main focus (2C).
For Jane, on the other hand, lunch is not about
B Supporting eating; it is a chance to exchange the latest gossip
sentence 1 & 2 in about who is going out with whom (1). The girls
contrast with A on
same topic look around to see what people are wearing,
what they should do with their hair, and so on.
Janes meal is quite a bit smaller than Johnnys: it
consists of a small low-fat yogurt and half a bagel
(if she feels like splurging, she will spread some
cream cheese on the bagel) (2C).
Topic sentence After school, Johnny and Jane head in
different directions. Johnny rushes home to get his
bike and meets up with his friends to run around
A Supporting and play typical guy games, like pick-up basketball
sentence and or touch football (1). Johnny and his friends play
developing with every boy who shows up, whether they know
sentences him or not . They may get into physical fights and
arguments, but they always plan to meet up again
the next day (1d). In contrast to the boys, Jane and
her friends are very selective. Their circle is a small
B Supporting one, and they do everything together (2). Some
sentence and days, they go to the mall (they will not necessarily
developing buy anything there, but they will consider the
sentences in outing productive anyway because they will have
contrast with A on spent time together). Most days, though, they just
same topic talk, with the discussion ranging from school to
guys to lipstick colors. When Jane gets home, she
will most likely run to the phone and talk for hours
to the same three or four girls (2d).
Concluding signal At the age of twelve or thirteen,
Topic boys and girls do not seem to have
very much in common. Given this
situation, it is amazing that boys and
Developing girls grow up to become men and
women who interact as neighbors,
friends, and coworkers. What is even
more amazing is that so many grow up
Concluding
sentence to share lives and raise families
together, treating each other with love
and respect.
 Classification essay

Classification is the act of sorting items into appropriate categories. Classification

essays divide a whole (your subject) into parts and sort various items into categories.
 Questions prompt examples
What kinds of courses are most useful for
students planning to run their own
businesses?

Thesis statement:
Courses dealing with accounting,
management, interpersonal communication
and computer science offer the most useful
skills for future business owners.
 Questions prompt examples
List the components of blood and explain the
function of each.

Thesis statement:
Red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets,
and plasma have distinct functions.
 Selling a Dream
The earliest automobiles were often named after
Introduction the men who manufactured themFord,
Studebaker, Nash, Olds, Chrysler, Dodge,
Chevrolet, and so on. More recently, however,
American car makers have been competing to see
what kinds of names will sell the most cars. Many
car names seem to be chosen simply for how
they sound: Alero, Corvette, Neon, Probe,
Caprice. Many others, however, are designed to
sell specific dreams to consumers. Americans
always seem to want to be, do, and become
Thesis sentence something different. They want to be tough and
brave, to explore new places, to take risks. With
the names that auto manufacturers choose for
their cars, they appeal to Americans deepest
desires.
Topic sentence Some American cars are named for
places people dream of traveling
to. Park Avenue, Malibu, Riviera,
Seville, Tahoe, Yukon, Aspen, and
Supporting sentence 1 Durango are some names that

suggest escapeto New York City,

California, Europe, the West. Other
place namesSebring, Daytona,
Supporting sentence 2

and Bonneville, for example are

associated with the danger and
excitement of car racing. And then
there is the El Dorado, a car
Supporting sentence 1 named for a fictional paradise: a

city of gold.
Topic sentence
Other car names convey rough
and tough, even dangerous, images.
Supporting & developing
Animal names fall into this category, with
sentence 1 models like Ram, Bronco, and Mustang
suggesting powerful, untamed beasts.
Other cars in the rough and tough
Supporting & developing category include those that suggest the
sentence 2 wildness of the Old West: Wrangler and
Rodeo, for example. Because the
American auto industry is centered near
Supporting & developing Detroit, Michigan, where many cities
sentence 3 have Indian names, cars named for the
cities where they are manufactured
inherited these names. Thus, cars called
Cadillac, Pontiac, and Cherokee recall the
history of Indian nations, and these too
might suggest the excitement of the
untamed West.
Topic sentence
The most interesting car names in
terms of the dream they sell, however, are
those that suggest exploration and
discovery. Years ago, some car names
Supporting & developing honored real explorers, like De Soto and
sentence 1 LaSalle. Now, model names only sell an
abstract idea. Still, American car names
like Blazer, Explorer, Navigator,
Mountaineer, Expedition, Caravan, and
Voyager (as well as the names of foreign
Supporting & developing cars driven by many Americans, such as
sentence 2 Nissans Pathfinder and Quest and
Hondas Passport, Pilot, and Odyssey)
have the power to make drivers feel they
are blazing new trails and discovering new
worldswhen in fact they may simply be
carpooling their children to a soccer game
or commuting to work.
 Today, the car is an ordinary piece
Concluding signal
Topic
of machinery, a necessity for many
people. Clearly, the automobile is no
longer seen as the amazing invention it
once was. Despite the fact that most
Developing
people take the existence of cars for
granted, however, manufacturers still
try to make consumers believe they
are buying more than just
transportation. But whether we drive a
Concluding
Malibu, Mustang, Cherokee, or
sentence Expeditionor even a royal LeBaron
or Marquiswe eventually realize that
we are driving cars, not magic carpets.
 Definition essay

Definition explains the meaning of a term or concept. A definition essay

presents an extended definition, using various patterns of development to move
beyond a simple dictionary definition.
 Questions prompt examples
Explain the meaning of the term performance
art.

Thesis statement:
Unlike more conventional forms of art,
performance art extends beyond the canvas.
 Questions prompt examples
What is attention deficit disorder?

Thesis statement:
Attention deficit disorder (ADD), once
narrowly defined as a childhood problem, is
now known to affect adults as well as children
 Street Smart
I grew up in a big city, so I was
practically born street smart. I learned the
hard way how to act and what to do, and
Introduction so did my friends. To us, being street smart
meant having common sense. We wanted
to be cool, but we needed to be safe, too.
Now I go to college in a big city, and I
realize that not everyone here grew up the
way I did. Many students are from suburbs
or rural areas, and they are either terrified
of the city or totally ignorant of city life.
The few suburban or rural students who
are willing to venture downtown are not
street smartbut they should be. Being
Thesis sentence street smart is a vital survival skill, one that
everyone should learn.
Topic sentence For me, being street smart means knowing
how to protect my possessions. Friends of mine
Supporting & developing
who are not used to city life insist on wearing all
sentence 1
their jewelry when they go downtown. I think this
is asking for trouble, and I know better. I always
tuck my chain under my shirt and leave my gold
earrings home. Another thing that surprises me is
how some of my friends wave their money
Supporting & developing around. They always seem to be standing on the
sentence 2
street, trying to count their change or stuff dollars
into their wallets. Street-smart people make sure
to put their money safely away in their pockets or
purses before they leave a store. A street-smart
person will also carry a backpack, a purse strapped
across the chest, or no purse at all. A person who
is not street smart carries a purse loosely over one
shoulder or dangles it by its handle. Again, these
people are asking for trouble.
Topic sentence
Being street smart also means protecting
myself. It means being aware of my
surroundings at all times and looking alert.
Supporting & developing A lot of times, I have been downtown with
sentence 1 people who kept stopping on the street to
talk about where they should go next or
walking up and down the same street over
and over again. A street-smart person
would never do this. It is important that I
look as if I know where I am going at all
Supporting & developing
sentence 2
times, even if I dont. Whenever possible, I
decide on a destination in advance, and I
make sure I know how to get there. Even if I
am not completely sure where I am
headed, I make sure my body language
conveys my confidence in my ability to
reach my destination.
Topic sentence Finally, being street smart
means protecting my life. A street-
Supporting sentence 1 smart person does not walk alone,
especially after dark, in an
unfamiliar neighborhood. A street-
Supporting & developing smart person does not ask random
sentence 2 strangers for directions; when lost,
he or she asks a shopkeeper for
help. A street-smart person takes
Supporting & developing
sentence 3
main streets instead of side streets.
When faced with danger or the
threat of danger, a street-smart
person knows when to run, when to
scream, and when to give up money
or possessions to avoid violence.
Concluding signal
So how does someone get to be
Topic street smart? Some people think it
Developing is a gift, but I think it is something
almost anyone can learn. Probably
the best way to learn how to be
Concluding
sentence street smart is to hang out with
people who know where they are
going.
 Cause and effect essay

A cause makes something happen; an effect is a result of a particular cause or

event. Cause-and-effect essays identify causes or predict effects;
sometimes, they do both.
 Questions prompt examples
What factors contributed to the rise of the
womens movement in the 1970s?

Thesis statement:
The womens movement of the 1970s had its
origins in the peace and civil rights
movements of the 1960s.
 Questions prompt examples
How has the Internet affected the lives of
those who have grown up with it?

Thesis statement:
The Internet has created a generation of
people who learn differently from those in
previous generations.
 How My Parents Separation Changed My Life
Until I was eight, I lived the
perfect all-American life with my
Introduction
perfect all-American family. I lived in a
suburb of Albany, New York, with my
parents, my sister and brother, and our
dog, Daisy. We had a ping-pong table
in the basement, a barbecue in the
backyard, and two cars in the garage.
My dad and mom were high school
teachers, and every summer we took a
family vacation. Then, it all changed.
Thesis sentence My parents separation made
everything different.
 One day, just before Halloween, when
my sister was twelve and my brother was
Supporting & fourteen (Daisy was seven), our parents
developing called us into the kitchen for a family
sentence 1
conference. We didnt think anything was
wrong at first; they were always calling these
annoying meetings. We figured it was time
for us to plan a vacation, talk about
household chores, or be nagged to clean our
rooms. As soon as we sat down, though, we
knew this was different. We could tell Mom
had been crying, and Dads voice cracked
when he told us the news. They were
separatingthey called it a trial
Topic sentence separationand Dad was moving out of
our house.
Topic sentence After that day, everything seemed to
change. Every Halloween we always
had a big jack-o-lantern on our front
Supporting &
developing
porch. Dad used to spend hours at
sentence 1 the kitchen table cutting out the
eyes, nose, and mouth and hollowing
out the insides. That Halloween,
because he didnt live with us, things
were different. Mom bought a
pumpkin, and I guess she was
Supporting & planning to carve it up. But she never
developing
sentence 2
did, and we never mentioned it. It sat
on the kitchen counter for a couple
of weeks, getting soft and wrinkled,
and then it just disappeared.
Topic sentence Other holidays were also different
because Mom and Dad were not living
Supporting & together. Our first Thanksgiving without Dad
developing
sentence 1
was pathetic. I dont even want to talk about
it. Christmas was different, too. We spent
Christmas Eve with Dad and our relatives on
his side and Christmas Day with Mom and
her family. Of course, we got twice as many
presents as usual. I realize now that both
Supporting & our parents were trying to make up for the
developing
sentence 2
pain of the separation. The worst part came
when I opened my big present from Mom:
Barbies Dream House. This was something I
had always wanted. Even at eight, I knew
how hard it must have been for Mom to
afford it. The trouble was, I had gotten the
same thing from Dad the night before.
Topic sentence Other parts of our routine
changed, too. Because Dad didnt live with
Supporting &
us anymore, we had to spend every
developing Saturday and every Wednesday night at his
sentence 1 apartment, no matter what else we had
planned. Usually, he would take us to dinner
at McDonalds on Wednesdays, and then we
would go back to his place and do our
homework or watch TV. That wasnt too
Supporting & bad. Saturdays were a lot worse. We really
developing wanted to be home, hanging out with our
sentence 2
friends in our own rooms in our own house.
Instead, we had to do some planned activity
with Dad, like go to a movie or a hockey
game.
Concluding signal By the end of the school year, my
Topic parents had somehow worked things out, and
Dad was back home again. That June, at a
family conference around the kitchen table,
we made our summer vacation plans. We
decided on Williamsburg, Virginia, the all-
Developing
American vacation destination. So, things
were back to normal, but I wasnt, and Im
still not. Now, ten years later, my mother and
father are all right, but I still worry theyll split
up again. And I worry about my own future
husband and how I will ever be sure hes the
one Ill stay married to. As a result of what
Concluding happened in my own family, it is hard for me
sentence to believe any relationship is forever.
 Process essay

A paragraph using process analysis may be directional; that is, the paragraph
may be intended for a reader who needs to follow the directions to perform
a task.

The other type of process writing is informational. In this case, you explain
how something works or how something worked in the past. There is no
expectation or even possibility that the reader will or could act upon it. The
purpose of describing the process is purely to provide information. History
books are filled with such writing. For instance, if you described how a Civil
War general planned his battle strategy, this would be informational process
writing.
 Questions prompt examples
Explain the process bywhich a bill becomes a
law.

Thesis statement:
The process by which a bill becomes a law is
long and complex, involving numerous
revisions and a great deal of compromise.
 Questions prompt examples
Write a set of instructions for applying for a
student internship in a government agency.

Thesis statement:
If you want to apply for a government
internship, you need to follow several
important steps.
 For Fun and Profit
My first experience selling items at
Introduction a flea market was both fun and
profitable. In fact, it led to a hobby
that is also a continuing source of
extra money. That first time took a
Thesis sentence
lot of work, but the routine I
established then has made each
flea market easier.
Topic sentence The first step in the process is to call to reserve a
spot at the flea market. Then, I recruit a helperusually my
brother or one of my roommatesand we get to work. The
next step is sorting through all the items I managed to
Supporting & accumulate since the last flea market. My helper comes in
developing handy here, encouraging me to sell ugly or useless things I
sentence 1 may want to hold on to. We make three pileskeep, sell,
and trashand one by one, we place every item in a pile.
(Before we decide to sell or throw out an item, I check with
all my roommates to make sure Im not accidentally
throwing out one of their prized possessions.)
Next comes pricing the items for sale, which is
Topic sentence actually the hardest step for me. Its always difficult to
accept the fact that I might have to set a low price for
Supporting &
something that has sentimental value for me (a giant
developing
stuffed animal, for example). Its just as hard to set a high
sentence 1
price on the ugly lamp or old record album that might turn
out to be someones treasure. At my first flea market, I
returned with a lot of unsold items, and I later realized I
had sold other items too cheaply. I never made these
mistakes again.
Topic sentence The next step is my least favorite:
packing up items to be sold. I usually
borrow my friends van for the heavy
Supporting &
developing
items (boxes of books or dishes, for
sentence example). The small items (knickknacks,
silk flowers, stray teaspoons) can be
transported in my brothers car.
Topic sentence The final steps in my preparation take
place on the day before the event. I
borrow a couple of card tables from
Supporting &
friends of my parents. Then, I go to the
developing bank and get lots of dollar bills and
sentence quarters, and I collect piles of newspaper
and plastic supermarket bags. Now, my
planning is complete.
Topic sentence On the day of the flea market, I get up early,
and my helper and I load the two vehicles. When we
arrive at the site where the event is to be held, one of
Supporting & us unloads the cars. The other person sets things up,
developing placing small items (such as dishes and DVDs) on the
sentence card tables and large items (such as my parents old
lawnmower) on the ground near the tables.
Topic sentence Then, the actual selling begins. Before I can
even set up our tables, people start picking through
my things, offering me cash for picture frames, pots
and pans, and video games. We develop a system as
Supporting & the day goes on: one of us persuades buyers that that
developing old meat grinder or vase is just what theyve been
sentence looking for, and the other person negotiates the price
with prospective buyers. Then, while one of us wraps
small items in the newspapers or bags we brought
(and helps carry large items to peoples cars), the
other person takes the money and makes change.
Concluding sentence Finally, at the end of the day, I
count my money and give a share
to my helper. We then load all the
unsold items into the car and van
Supporting &
and bring them back to my
developing
sentence
apartment. We store them in the
back of my closet so it will be easy
to pack them up again for the next
flea market.
 Argumentative essay
Argument takes a stand on a debatable
issuethat is, an issue that has two sides (and
can therefore be debated).
An argument essay uses different kinds of
evidencefacts, examples, and expert
opinionto persuade readers to accept a
position.
 Questions prompt examples
Explain your position on a current social issue.

Thesis statement:
People should be able to invest some of their
Social Security contributions in the stock
market.
 Questions prompt examples
Should physician assisted suicide be legalized?

Thesis statement:
Although many people think physician-
assisted suicide should remain illegal, it should
be legal in certain situations.
 Amnesty for Undocumented Immigrants
More than twelve million undocumented
Introduction
immigrants now live in the United States. Is it practical to
send them all back home? Should they be allowed to
stay? Despite their illegal entry, if they have worked and
Thesis sentence raised their families in the United States for years, these
(general argument) people should be allowed to stay in this country and,
eventually, to become American citizens.
Many people object to the idea of amnesty, an
Topic sentence
(argument 1) official pardon for past illegal acts. Certainly, in this case,
amnesty would forgive immigrants for entering the
country illegally. However, this amnesty would not come
without penalty. First, they would be heavily fined. In
addition, they would have to show that they have jobs
Supporting & and can speak English. Moreover, to become American
developing
sentence
citizens, they would have to wait at least thirteen years.
So, even though they would be granted amnesty, they
still would be punished for entering the United States
illegally.
Topic sentence Undocumented immigrants come to
(argument 2) this country to work, and they often take low-
wage jobs that businesses would otherwise
find difficult or impossible to fill. For
Supporting & example, undocumented immigrants often
developing work as migrant laborersplanting,
sentence cultivating, and picking crops like lettuce and
tomatoes. In the Southwest, where there are
many Mexican immigrants, laborers often
work in the construction industry. The meat
packing, landscaping, and hotel industries
also use immigrant workers, not all of whom
are in this country legally. Finally, the health
care industry needs more and more people
every year who will work for low pay as
caregivers, providing personal care to the
elderly and disabled. It would be very hard to
fill all these jobs without illegal immigrants.
Topic sentence Giving amnesty to undocumented
(argument 2)
immigrants is not a perfect solution, but it
would solve many problems. Now, these
immigrants feel they have to hide from
Supporting & authorities because they are afraid they will
developing
sentence
be deported. Therefore, they may delay
seeking needed medical care. Instead, they
may wind up in a hospital emergency room
when they are seriously ill. This is expensive
for everyone. In addition, children of
undocumented immigrants often cannot
attend college because college scholarships
require documentsand, even if students can
afford the tuition, they must be legal in order
to get even a part-time job. Consequently, it is
very hard for undocumented immigrants to
improve their lives or the lives of their
children.
Topic sentence People who oppose immigration amnesty say that
(identification and it would encourage disrespect for the law. This may be so.
refutation of opposing Nevertheless, in this case, there is no good alternative. It
argument)
would be impossible to track down and deport the more
than twelve million immigrants now in the United States
illegally. Moreover, even if it were possible, a huge labor
shortage would result. Another objection to the idea of
Opposing
argument
amnesty is the claim that undocumented immigrants take
jobs away from American citizens. However, according to the
Department of Labor, this is not true. In fact, undocumented
immigrants tend to work at jobs that citizens are unwilling to
take. Finally, some say that the American way of life is being
weakened by illegal immigrants. However, just the opposite
is true: the United States has always been enriched by
immigrants, whether legal or not. In fact, immigration is the
lifeblood of the nation.
Remainder sentence Undocumented immigrants broke
the law when they entered the
country. However, even if it were
With argument possible to send them all back, the
results would be disastrous for them
and for the nation. Therefore, the best
solution is to find a way to allow them
Concluding
Sentence
to stay. By coming to America, they
(solution) have shown that they want to work.
They should be allowed to do so. Thus,
America can continue to be a nation of
immigrants.
 The wearing of the hijab, the headscarf for Muslim women, has become a
controversial issue in several countries today. In the following essay, originally
published in the Toronto Globe and Mail, the Canadian-born Muslim journalist
and freelance broadcaster Naheed Mustafa argues for the use of this
distinctive item of clothing. Contrary to commonly held belief, the writer sees
the use of the hijab as an indication of female liberation.

I often wonder whether people see me as a

radical, fundamentalist Muslim terrorist
Introduction packing an AK-47 assault rifle inside my jeans
jacket. Or maybe they see me as the poster
girl for oppressed womanhood everywhere.
Im not sure which it is. I get the whole gamut
of strange looks, stares and covert glances.
You see, I wear the hijab, a scarf that covers
my head, neck and throat. I do this because I
Thesis sentence am a Muslim woman who believes her body is
(general argument)
her own private concern.
Topic sentence
Young Muslim women are reclaiming the hijab, reinterpreting it
(argument 1) in light of its original purposeto give back to women ultimate
control of their own bodies. The Koran teaches us that men and
women are equal, that individuals should not be judged
according to gender, beauty, wealth or privilege. The only thing
Supporting &
that makes one person better than another is her or his
developing character. Nonetheless, people have a difficult time relating to
sentence me. After all, Im young, Canadian born and raised, university-
educatedwhy would I do this to myself, they ask. Strangers
speak to me in loud, slow English and often appear to be playing
charades. They politely inquire how I like living in Canada and
whether or not the cold bothers me. If Im in the right mood, it
can be very amusing. But why would I, a woman with all the
advantages of a North American upbringing, suddenly, at 21,
want to cover myself so that with the hijab and the other
clothes I choose to wear, only my face and hands show? Because
it gives me freedom.
 Women are taught from early
Supporting &
developing childhood that their worth is
sentence
proportional to their attractiveness. We
feel compelled to pursue abstract
notions of beauty, half realizing that
such a pursuit is futile. When women
reject this form of oppression, they face
ridicule and contempt. Whether its
Topic sentence
women who refuse to wear make up or
(argument 1) to shave their legs or to expose their
bodies, society, both men and women,
have trouble dealing with them.
 In the Western world, the hijab has come to
Topic sentence
(identification and
symbolize either forced silence or radical, unconscionable
refutation of opposing militancy. Actually, its neither. It is simply a womans
argument) assertion that judgment of her physical person is to play no
role whatsoever in social interaction. Wearing the hijab has
given me freedom from constant attention to my physical
self. Because my appearance is not subjected to public
Opposing scrutiny, my beauty, or perhaps lack of it, has been removed
argument from the realm of what can legitimately be discussed. No
one knows whether my hair looks as if I just stepped out of a
salon, whether or not I can pinch an inch, or even if I have
unsightly stretch marks. And because no one knows, no one
cares. Feeling that one has to meet the impossible male
standards of beauty is tiring and often humiliating. I should
know, I spent my entire teenage years trying to do it. I was a
borderline bulimic and spent a lot of money I didnt have on
potions and lotions in hopes of becoming the next Cindy
Crawford.
 The definition of beauty is ever-
Remainder sentence changing; waifish is good, waifish is bad,
athletic is goodsorry, athletic is bad.
Narrow hips? Great. Narrow hips? Too
bad. Women are not going to achieve
With argument equality with the right to bare their
breasts in public, as some people would
like to have you believe. That would
only make us party to our own
objectification. True equality will be had
only when women dont need to display
Concluding themselves to get attention and wont
Sentence need to defend their decision to keep
(solution) their bodies to themselves.