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Classification Essay
Classification Essay
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Classification Essay
What is a classification essay?
A classification essay is one whose purpose is to describe the logical division of a topic/subject and explain each
division.
What is it meant by classify?
To arrange sth in groups/categories according to features that they have in common.
How can you classify a topic/subject?
By a classification principle/method.
How many principles/methods can you classify a single topic/subject?
Not many. But, there are more than one principle/method to divide sth into several categories.
e.g. You might classify clothes into three groups: formal clothes, semiformal clothes, and casual clothes. Or, you
might clothes into two groups: indoor wear and outdoor wear. Transportation can be classified into several ways:
(1) local, national, international, (2) private, public, (3) land, air, water.
How do you know which way you want to classify?
It depends on your own purpose!!!
Note: the important thing to remember when you classify is that the categories must be mutually exclusive.
In other words, the categories cannot overlap. For example, you cannot classify clothes into formal clothes,
summer clothes, and casual clothes because the categories overlap. Some summer clothes are formal and others
are casual.
Practice 1:
How many ways can you think of to classify the students in your school? Make a list. Identify your method of
classification and the groups you can divide a student into.
beginning
intermediate
advanced
2. Method:
Group:
3. Method:
Group:
4. Method:
Group:
Thesis statement
The following sentence patterns are useful in writing thesis statements for classification essays.
two types
three kinds
of
(subject)
four classes
several sorts
e.g. There are three kinds of energy: nuclear, hydraulic, and solar.
1. There are
classify
parts
divide
(subject)
into three/two groups
group
types
categorize
kinds
e.g. We can divide the students in my class into three groups: Asian, European, and South American.
2. We can
3.
By ROS Vutha
divided
can be classified
grouped
categorized
parts
into three/two groups
types
categories
Page 1
By ROS Vutha
is an example of
(noun phrase)
Page 2