Emphasis so far has been on writing paragraphs with good, detailed support. Since a paragraph develops only one idea, the topics being developed are quite limited. Often, however, topics are too complex or too broad to be developed in a single paragraph. In this case, it is necessary to write as an essay. An essay is a group of paragraphs that develops one central idea. How are the paragraphs organized in an essay? How many paragraphs are there in an essay? How does an essay begin and end? These are questions covered in this section.

            Unlike the paragraph, the essay is a more formal composition. The paragraphs in an essay each have a designated function.

    1. Introduction. The introduction is usually one paragraph (sometimes two or more) that introduces the topic to be discussed and the central idea (the thesis statement) of the essay.
    2. Developmental Paragraphs. These paragraphs develop various aspects of the topic and the central idea. They may discuss causes, effects, reasons, examples, processes, classifications, or points or comparison and contrast. They may also describe or narrate.
    3. Conclusion. The paragraph concludes the thought developed in the essay. It is the closing words.

How many paragraphs an essay contains depends entirely on the complexity of the topic: some essays have only two or three paragraphs while others may have twenty or thirty. However, for most purposes, the essays written in Academic English I class will contain from five to seven paragraphs, with the most common number being five: one introductory paragraph, three developmental paragraphs, and one concluding paragraph.