The Do’s and Don’ts of Expository Essays
(According to Mrs. Miller’s 5B Class)
Do’s
 Five paragraphs (no more, no less)
 Stay on topic
 Use proper grammar
 Use FRIES (Facts, Reasons,
Incidents, Examples, Statistics,
Sensory Details)
 Have a thesis statement (3-point)
 Plan before you write
 At the end, revise and edit your
work (check your work)
 Use JUICY sentences (descriptive
language)
 Use sophisticated language
 Write in complete sentences.
 Use interesting transitional
words/phrases
 Use proper punctuation and
capitalization
 3 body paragraphs (each one
focuses on one of your reasons)
 Write neatly
 Craft an original, engaging essay
 Indent paragraphs
 Hook/Engaging Beginning
 If you use a title, make it match the
main idea/interesting
 Write about something you know
 Use literary devices (similes,
metaphors, idioms, onomatopoeia,
alliteration, etc.)
 Restate your main idea and wrap it
up with your conclusion
 Keep your audience in mind
 Use CUPS (Capitalization, Usage,
Punctuation, Spelling)
Don’ts
 One big paragraph as your essay
 Write in pen
 Go off topic
 Use incorrect punctuation
 Double-space, also no spaces
between paragraphs
 Use slang (ain’t, dawg, yo, wazzup)
 Write run-on sentences or
fragments
 Don’t start sentences with “And,”
“But,” or “Because”
 Write less than 5 sentences in a
paragraph
 Use improper grammar
 Start with something boring
 Spell words incorrectly
 Write sloppily (scribble-scrabble)
 Write pointless sentences
(extraneous details)
 Write without organization
 Head every paragraph
 Use baby words (kindergarten)
 Use same/boring transition words
(“let’s move on to my next point”)
 Be repetitive
 Forget to capitalize first letters in
sentences and proper nouns
 Have more than one main idea
 Use someone else’s words as your
own (plagiarism)