Writing Essay Answers

Writing Essay Answers

By 1998 Female Country Vocalist of the Year - Mrs. Mac

The directions on an essay test usually begin with a word such as describe, compare, explain, or discuss. Your answers for an essay test need to be in paragraph form. To write an essay answer, organize your information well. You should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion or summary.

Multiple Choice

Which topic sentence is better for the following essay: Describe Glacier National Park.

• It is a large park in northern Montana.

• Glacier National Park is in northern Montana.

Multiple Choice

Which topic sentence is better for the following essay: Discuss the pros and cons of having a garden.

• Having a garden involves some pros and cons.

• Here are some good and bad things.

Multiple Choice

Which topic sentence is better for the following essay: Compare a short answer and an essay answer.

• One is shorter, and the other has more details.

• The main difference between a short answer and an essay answer is the amount of detail in each.

Multiple Choice

Which topic sentence is better for the following essay: What is your favorite holiday?

• I enjoy Thanksgiving more than any other holiday.

• This holiday is a day when our entire family has dinner together.

Poll

Which topic sentence is best for the following essay question: How do people in the United States celebrate Valentine's Day?

• There are many ways to celebrate Valentine's Day.

• People celebrate Valentine's Day in many ways.

• It is a day for giving cards and having parties.

• I don't celebrate Valentine's Day, but many people do.

• You can give gifts on Valentine's Day.

Assignment on Google Classroom!

Descriptions

• Sometimes an essay question will ask you to describe a topic.

• To describe means "to make a picture with words."

• A descriptive essay describes a topic in great detail.

• A prompt is probably asking for a descriptive essay if it includes any of these words: express, picture, sense/sensory, describe/description, or visualize.

Essay Directions: Describe the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is an extremely deep gorge of the Colorado River. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long. It is from four to 18 miles wide. It is one mile deep. This spectacular canyon in Arizona is a national park. Every year, thousands of visitors come to the Grand Canyon. They stand a the rims and gasp at the vast scene before them.

Good writers use sensory images in a descriptive essay. Such images help the reader see, hear, smell, feel, or taste what the writer is describing. The details help readers picture the place.

Assignment on Google Classroom!