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Expository
Paragraph
Writing
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You give information.

You explain a subject, you give directions, or show how
something happens.

 Expository comes from the term expose, meaning, “to reveal”.

Although explaining a topic can be done in several ways, the
most common approach to developing an expository paragraph
requires using specific details and examples.
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 Five basic ways in which authors can organize information in

expository text  Description - in which a topic is introduced and
followed by its attributes  Sequence - in which a topic is
introduced and followed by details that need to be presented in
an order  Cause/effect - in which an event or act and its effects
are described  Comparison/contrast - in which the similarities
and differences in two or more things are presented 
Problem/solution - in which a problem is presented followed by
one or more solutions.
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 Types of Expository Text  ABC books * editorials 

advertisements * instructions  autobiographies * interviews 
biographies * invitations  book reports * journals  brochures *
lab reports  campaign speeches * letters  cartoons * lists 
catalogues * maps  comics * menus  complaints * newspaper
articles  definitions * etc.  directions.
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 Organization and content of a paragraph  A topic sentence

must be supported with details organized chronologically in a
narrative paragraph.  Spatially in a descriptive paragraph. 
When you support the controlling idea with information, details,
facts, or illustrations, in other words, when you explain or
analyze a topic, you are doing an expository paragraph.
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 The most common approach to developing an expository

paragraph  Requires using specific details and examples. This
is needed in order to support the controlling idea in your topic
sentence. The controlling idea is the word or phrase in the topic
sentence that states an idea or an attitude about the topic. This
is frequently referred to as a generalization.
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 Generalization  Is a statement that applies in most cases to a

group of things, ideas, or people.  A generalization can be a
value judgment or an opinion or a factual statement.
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 Specific Details  You need to provide some information or

explanation about the controlling idea. Give “hard evidence” to
support the controlling idea. You need to illustrate or “prove” or
support the generalization. Specific details can help to achieve
that.  In expository writing, the writer is like a lawyer who is
trying to prove a point. Good proof is factual detail.
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 Examples  Is an item that represents a group of things, people,

or ideas. In other words, an example is a specific representative
of a general category. Examples make the controlling idea,
clearer and more convincing and therefore are an effective
means of support.  It is not usually sufficient just to name an
example; often it is necessary to explain the example to show
how it relates to and supports the generalization.
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 Examples  The explanation of an example does not have to be

lengthy; sometimes all you need to do is add a few words. The
writer could add a clause to explain the example. It is useful to
provide specific detail for support.
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 Illustrations and Anecdotes  It is not always necessary to give

several examples to support the controlling idea, sometimes one
example that is explained in greater detail will suffice to support
the controlling idea.  This kind of extended example is useful,
not so much for “proving” the statement in the generalization but
for illustrating it. This is why it is called an illustration.  Another
type of illustration is an anecdote. An anecdote is a brief story
that dramatizes the point made in the generalization. It is a brief
narrative.
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 COHERENCE Organization of Details and Examples  When a

paragraph contains several details and examples, it is
necessary to consider the order of their presentation. The
sentences in an expository paragraph follow no prescribed or
set pattern of organization. The ordering depends on the subject
and often on the author’s logic.  Here are some patterns or
guidelines:
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 Organization of Details and Examples 1. Order of Importance:

Saving the best for last – Readers generally remember what
they read last, and since it is good idea to leave a good
impression on the reader, it is wise to place the most impressive
example at the end of the paragraph. 2. Order of Familiarity:
From the more familiar to the less familiar – When the details in
the expository paragraph are mostly factual, it is common to
begin with the most obvious or familiar detail and move toward
the less obvious or less familiar detail.
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 Organization of Details and Examples 3. Order of Time: From

the past to the present – When the details and examples in a
paragraph are taken from history or are events that have taken
place in the past, it is often a good idea to order the examples
according to chronology.
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 Transitional Words or Phrases Not only should sentences and

ideas in a paragraph be logically arranged, but they should flow
smoothly as well.  Expressions such as next, then, after that,
and similar, signal time sequence.  Expressions such as
above, farther on, next to, and so forth, signal location. They are
called transitional words and phrases.
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 Remember …  There are many ways to achieve coherence;

do not rely entirely on one way.  Try to use a variety of
coherence devices – a mixture of clauses, phrases, and
transitional expressions.  Do not overdo the use of transitions;
it could be repetitious.  Generally, two or three transitional
expressions in a paragraph are sufficient.
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Expository Essay Guidelines

In expository writing, linking words like first, second, then, and
finally are usually used to help readers follow the ideas.
This paragraph, like the others, organizes itself around three parts.
A topic sentence allows the reader to understand what you are
writing about.
The middle part of the paragraph contains sentences that follow
one another in a logical sequence of steps.
The final sentence closes your subject with an emphasis on the
final product or process desired by the topic.