Writing an Explanatory Essay

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What is an explanatory essay?

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An explanatory essay is a type of writing that explains a topic or idea in a clear and concise manner, providing information and evidence to help the reader understand.

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How many complete paragraphs should your explanatory essay have?

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4 or more.

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What should you do after finding text evidence for your essay prompt?

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Think of a general reason that this evidence supports your main idea.

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Can personal experiences be included in your explanation of text evidence?

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Yes, you can relate your personal experiences to the text evidence.

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Should each reason in your essay be developed in a separate paragraph?

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Yes, each reason should be explained in its own paragraph.

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What is the purpose of the introductory paragraph in an explanatory essay?

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The introductory paragraph introduces the topic and presents the main idea or thesis statement.

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What is a thesis statement?

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A thesis statement is a sentence that summarizes the main point or claim of an essay.

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What should you do after reading through a text to prepare for writing an essay?

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Read it again and highlight evidence that supports your topic.

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What is the role of text evidence in an explanatory essay?

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Text evidence supports your claims and helps to validate your arguments.

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What is a concluding paragraph?

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A concluding paragraph summarizes the main points of the essay and reinforces the thesis statement.