There are five main steps in writing argument essays.

Step 1: Read the question

Read the question. Decide what kind of essay it is – opinion, compare/contrast, problem and solution, cause and effect, or a mixture. The type of question will decide the layout and your ideas, but if you are not sure about which type of essay it is, don’t worry too much about the type.

Step 2: Underline key words

Underline key vocabulary in the question and write words with the same or related meaning. This will really save you a lot of time later on  It will also help you to avoid repeating words and show that you understand the question.

Step 3: Get Ideas

Decide if you are for or against the idea. Usually it is best to give both sides (for and against – one paragraph each) and then to give your opinion in the conclusion. However there are other ways of laying out your essay.

Step 4: Decide Layout

You should decide on a layout. The easiest is 3773. That means four paragraphs: introduction (3 sentences) one side (7 sentences), the other side (7 sentences) and the conclusion (3 sentences). This will give you 20 sentences. An average of about 12 words each, that is 240 words. Perfect!

Step 5: Write!

After you have written your plan, write your essay. Follow the steps in this website for writing the introduction, body, and conclusion. Check for fragments, run-ons and comma splices.

What do you want to do now?

• Look at an example of Step 2: vocabulary(recommended)
• Learn about parts of an essay
• Learn about introductions
• When do I use 35553 or 3773 layout?
• Look at other information about layouts
• Look at conclusions