definition von essay

Kostenlose Rechtschreibprüfung

Kostenlose plagiatsprüfung, essay korrekturlesen.

• Wissensdatenbank

Was ist ein Essay? Alles was du wissen musst

In einem Essay setzt du dich mit einer Fragestellung oder einer These zu einem bestimmten Sachverhalt auseinander und entwickelst einen persönlichen Standpunkt dazu.

Scribbrs kostenlose Rechtschreibprüfung

Fehler kostenlos beheben

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Definition essay , der richtige artikel: der essay oder das essay , aufbau eines essays, arten eines essays, wichtige merkmale eines essays: 3 tipps, häufig gestellte fragen.

Ein Essay ist laut Definition im Duden eine schriftliche Abhandlung, die eine wissenschaftliche oder literarische Frage auf präzise, knappe, aber zugleich anspruchsvolle Art behandelt. 

In einem Essay setzt du dich kritisch mit einem bestimmten Thema auseinander. Ausgangspunkt für einen Essay ist in der Regel ein Problem, eine strittige Frage oder eine These, die in dem Essay bewusst subjektiv diskutiert werden soll. 

Anders als in einer Facharbeit oder Hausarbeit ist es in einem Essay wichtig, dass du deine eigene Meinung zu einem Thema wiedergibst. Ziel ist es, deinen Gedanken- und Argumentationsgang für die Leserschaft überzeugend darzustellen. 

Möchtest du eine fehlerfreie Arbeit abgeben?

Mit einem Lektorat helfen wir dir, deine Abschlussarbeit zu perfektionieren.

Neugierig? Bewege den Regler von links nach rechts!

Zu deiner Korrektur

Eine Frage, die im Zusammenhang mit der Frage ‚Was ist ein Essay?‘ häufig gestellt wird, ist die Frage nach dem korrekten Artikel: der Essay oder das Essay.

• Grundsätzlich sind laut Duden der Essay und das Essay möglich.

Auch ein Essay hat eine klare Struktur und folgt einem klaren Aufbau. Ebenso wie eine Hausarbeit ist er in folgende 3 Teile unterteilt.

Aufbau eines Essays : 

1. Einleitung

In der Einleitung geht es wie in jeder anderen wissenschaftlichen Arbeit darum, in das Thema einzuführen. 

Du formulierst deine These oder Leitfrage, auf die du im Hauptteil des Essays genauer eingehen wirst. Es bietet sich an, einleitend eine aktuelle Studie oder einen Sachverhalt zu deinem Thema aufzugreifen, der in der Öffentlichkeit viel diskutiert wird. 

Ähnlich wie bei Hausarbeiten oder Bachelorarbeiten bietet es sich an, die Einleitung des Essays ganz am Ende zu schreiben.

2. Hauptteil

Im Hauptteil führst du das Thema deines Essays aus. Du gehst auf die Fragestellung oder These, die du diskutieren möchtest ein und stellst deine persönliche Meinung dar.

Subjektive Elemente dürfen und sollen in einem Essay enthalten sein. Du musst allerdings darauf achten, deine eigene Meinung auch mit Argumenten aus der Literatur zu begründen und mit Beispielen zu untermauern. 

Jeden Hauptgedanke solltest du in einem eigenen Absatz darstellen und diese mit Überleitungen verbinden. Zwischenüberschriften über den Absätzen sind eher unüblich  

Der Schluss dient dazu, deinen Essay abzurunden und ein Fazit zu ziehen. 

Achte darauf, dich im Schlussteil deines Essays nicht zu sehr zu wiederholen. Zentrale Argumente können noch einmal aufgegriffen werden, um deine Meinung zu bekräftigen. Du solltest jedoch nicht zu viele Gedanken aus dem Hauptteil erneut wiedergeben.

Spannender für dieser Leserschaft ist es, wenn du Lösungsvorschläge für im Hauptteil offene gebliebene Fragen gibst. Auch ein Ausblick auf weitere Entwicklungen zu deinem behandelten Thema kann sich anbieten. 

Es werden vier Arten von Essays unterschieden. Bei allen Arten des Essays spielt die Darstellung deiner persönliche Meinung eine wichtige Rolle. 

Die 4 Arten eines Essays:

• Der argumentative Essay
• Der reflektierende Essay
• Der literaturkritische Essay
• Der beschreibende Essay

Kostenlos auf Plagiate prüfen.

• Rhetorische Mittel : Der Sprachstil eines Essays unterscheidet sich von anderen wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten. Du solltest zwar grundsätzlich einen sachlichen Stil wählen, es sind jedoch auch rhetorische Mittel erlaubt. Vor allem rhetorische Fragen , Alliterationen, Metaphern und Wiederholungen werden in einem Essay häufig verwendet. 
• Fußnoten und Quellenangaben : Da in einem Essay die eigene Meinung dargestellt werden soll, werden direkte Zitate sparsam verwendet. Normalerweise wird lediglich auf andere Texte verwiesen und die entsprechenden Quellen im Literaturverzeichnis angegeben. Bei direkten Zitaten ist je nach Zitierweise im Fließtext oder als Fußnote notwendig, um ein Plagiat zu vermeiden. 
• Subjektive Meinung : Essays bringen eine persönliche, subjektive Meinung zum Ausdruck. Es ist erlaubt, eigene Argumente zu liefern, um die Leserschaft von der eigenen Meinung zu überzeugen. Anders als in anderen wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten kann der dargestellte Standpunkt durchaus einseitig für eine Position ausfallen.

In einem Essay beschäftigst du dich mit einer Fragestellung oder einer These zu einem bestimmten Sachverhalt und entwickelst einen persönlichen Standpunkt zu der behandelten Thematik, den du auf 5–10 Seiten wiedergibst.

Ein Essay ist laut Definition im Duden eine schriftliche Abhandlung, die eine wissenschaftliche oder literarische Frage auf präzise, knappe, aber zeitgleich anspruchsvolle Art behandelt.

Laut Duden sind beide Optionen möglich: sowohl ‚der Essay’ als auch ‚das Essay’ sind korrekt. ‚Der Essay’ wird im wissenschaftlichen Bereich jedoch etwas häufiger verwendet.

Es gibt 4 verschiedene Arten von Essays:

War dieser Artikel hilfreich?

Das hat anderen studierenden noch gefallen.

• Deckblatt für einen Essay erstellen
• Der Aufbau eines Essays einfach erklärt
• Einen Essay schreiben in 4 Schritten

Weitere interessante Artikel

• Die perfekte Einleitung für deinen Essay schreiben
• Ein perfektes Essay Beispiel
• Einen Essay auf Englisch schreiben
• Einen Essay im Fach Deutsch schreiben
• Einen wissenschaftlichen Essay an der Uni schreiben

Aus Versehen plagiiert? Finde kostenlos heraus

• History & Society
• Science & Tech
• Biographies
• Animals & Nature
• Geography & Travel
• Arts & Culture
• Games & Quizzes
• On This Day
• One Good Fact
• New Articles
• Lifestyles & Social Issues
• Philosophy & Religion
• Politics, Law & Government
• World History
• Health & Medicine
• Browse Biographies
• Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates
• Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates
• Environment
• Fossils & Geologic Time
• Entertainment & Pop Culture
• Sports & Recreation
• Visual Arts
• Demystified
• Image Galleries
• Infographics
• Top Questions
• Britannica Kids
• Saving Earth
• Space Next 50
• Student Center

• What was Alexander Hamilton’s early life like?
• Why is Alexander Hamilton famous?
• Why is Jean-Jacques Rousseau famous?
• What is William Blake’s poetry about?
• What is William Blake’s legacy?

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• University of Wollongong - Essays
• Purdue University - Purdue Online Writing Lab - Essay Writing
• Pressbooks Create - The Writing Textbook - Essay Basics
• Humanities LibreTexts - Types of Essays
• BCcampus Open Publishing - Fraser Valley India's Writing for Success for LMS - The Structure of a Persuasive Essay
• Literary Devices - Definition of Essay
• University of Oxford - Essay and dissertation writing skills
• University of Babylon - What is an Essay?
• essay - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

essay , an analytic , interpretative, or critical literary composition usually much shorter and less systematic and formal than a dissertation or thesis and usually dealing with its subject from a limited and often personal point of view.

Some early treatises—such as those of Cicero on the pleasantness of old age or on the art of “divination,” Seneca on anger or clemency , and Plutarch on the passing of oracles—presage to a certain degree the form and tone of the essay, but not until the late 16th century was the flexible and deliberately nonchalant and versatile form of the essay perfected by the French writer Michel de Montaigne . Choosing the name essai to emphasize that his compositions were attempts or endeavours, a groping toward the expression of his personal thoughts and experiences, Montaigne used the essay as a means of self-discovery. His Essais , published in their final form in 1588, are still considered among the finest of their kind. Later writers who most nearly recall the charm of Montaigne include, in England, Robert Burton , though his whimsicality is more erudite , Sir Thomas Browne , and Laurence Sterne , and in France, with more self-consciousness and pose, André Gide and Jean Cocteau .

At the beginning of the 17th century, social manners, the cultivation of politeness, and the training of an accomplished gentleman became the theme of many essayists. This theme was first exploited by the Italian Baldassare Castiglione in his Il libro del cortegiano (1528; The Book of the Courtier ). The influence of the essay and of genres allied to it, such as maxims, portraits, and sketches, proved second to none in molding the behavior of the cultured classes, first in Italy, then in France, and, through French influence, in most of Europe in the 17th century. Among those who pursued this theme was the 17th-century Spanish Jesuit Baltasar Gracián in his essays on the art of worldly wisdom.

Keener political awareness in the 18th century, the age of Enlightenment , made the essay an all-important vehicle for the criticism of society and religion. Because of its flexibility, its brevity , and its potential both for ambiguity and for allusions to current events and conditions, it was an ideal tool for philosophical reformers. The Federalist Papers in America and the tracts of the French Revolutionaries are among the countless examples of attempts during this period to improve the human condition through the essay.

The genre also became the favoured tool of traditionalists of the 18th and 19th centuries, such as Edmund Burke and Samuel Taylor Coleridge , who looked to the short, provocative essay as the most potent means of educating the masses. Essays such as Paul Elmer More’s long series of Shelburne Essays (published between 1904 and 1935), T.S. Eliot ’s After Strange Gods (1934) and Notes Towards the Definition of Culture (1948), and others that attempted to reinterpret and redefine culture , established the genre as the most fitting to express the genteel tradition at odds with the democracy of the new world.

Whereas in several countries the essay became the chosen vehicle of literary and social criticism, in other countries the genre became semipolitical, earnestly nationalistic, and often polemical, playful, or bitter. Essayists such as Robert Louis Stevenson and Willa Cather wrote with grace on several lighter subjects, and many writers—including Virginia Woolf , Edmund Wilson , and Charles du Bos —mastered the essay as a form of literary criticism .

Definition Essay

Definition Essay - Writing Guide, Examples and Tips

14 min read

Published on: Oct 9, 2020

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

People also read

Interesting Definition Essay Topics for Students

Definition Essay Outline - Format & Guide

Share this article

Many students struggle with writing definition essays due to a lack of clarity and precision in their explanations.

This obstructs them from effectively conveying the essence of the terms or concepts they are tasked with defining. Consequently, the essays may lack coherence, leaving readers confused and preventing them from grasping the intended meaning.

But don’t worry!

In this guide, we will delve into effective techniques and step-by-step approaches to help students craft an engaging definition essay.

Continue reading to learn the correct formation of a definition essay. 

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

On This Page On This Page -->

What is a Definition Essay?

Just as the name suggests, a definition essay defines and explains a term or a concept. Unlike a narrative essay, the purpose of writing this essay is only to inform the readers.

Writing this essay type can be deceivingly tricky. Some terms, concepts, and objects have concrete definitions when explained. In contrast others are solely based on the writer’s understanding and point of view.

A definition essay requires a writer to use different approaches when discussing a term. These approaches are the following:

• Denotation - It is when you provide a literal or academic definition of the term.
• Connotation - It is when the writer provides an implied meaning or definition of the term.
• Enumeration - For this approach, a list is employed to define a term or a concept.
• Analogy - It is a technique in which something is defined by implementing a comparison.
• Negation - It is when you define a term by stating what it is not.

A single or combination of approaches can be used in the essay. 

Definition Essay Types

There are several types of definition essays that you may be asked to write, depending on the purpose and scope of the assignment. 

In this section, we will discuss some of the most common types of definition essays.

Descriptive Definition Essay 

This type of essay provides a detailed description of a term or concept, emphasizing its key features and characteristics. 

The goal of a descriptive definition essay is to help readers understand the term or concept in a more profound way.

Stipulative Definition Essay 

In a stipulative definition essay, the writer provides a unique definition of a term or concept. This type of essay is often used in academic settings to define a term in a particular field of study. 

The goal of a stipulative definition essay is to provide a precise and clear definition that is specific to the context of the essay.

Analytical Definition Essay 

This compare and contrast essay type involves analyzing a term or concept in-depth. Breaking it down into its component parts, and examining how they relate to each other. 

The goal of an analytical definition essay is to provide a more nuanced and detailed understanding of the term or concept being discussed.

Persuasive Definition Essay 

A persuasive definition essay is an argumentative essay that aims to persuade readers to accept a particular definition of a term or concept.

The writer presents their argument for the definition and uses evidence and examples to support their position.

Explanatory Definition Essay 

An explanatory definition essay is a type of expository essay . It aims to explain a complex term or concept in a way that is easy to understand for the reader. 

The writer breaks down the term or concept into simpler parts and provides examples and analogies to help readers understand it better.

Extended Definition Essay 

An extended definition essay goes beyond the definition of a word or concept and provides a more in-depth analysis and explanation. 

The goal of an extended definition essay is to provide a comprehensive understanding of a term, concept, or idea. This includes its history, origins, and cultural significance. 

How to Write a Definition Essay?

Writing a definition essay is simple if you know the correct procedure. This essay, like all the other formal pieces of documents, requires substantial planning and effective execution.

The following are the steps involved in writing a definition essay effectively:

Instead of choosing a term that has a concrete definition available, choose a word that is complicated . Complex expressions have abstract concepts that require a writer to explore deeper. Moreover, make sure that different people perceive the term selected differently. 

Once you have a word to draft your definition essay for, read the dictionary. These academic definitions are important as you can use them to compare your understanding with the official concept.

Drafting a definition essay is about stating the dictionary meaning and your explanation of the concept. So the writer needs to have some information about the term.

In addition to this, when exploring the term, make sure to check the term’s origin. The history of the word can make you discuss it in a better way.

Coming up with an exciting title for your essay is important. The essay topic will be the first thing that your readers will witness, so it should be catchy.

Creatively draft an essay topic that reflects meaning. In addition to this, the usage of the term in the title should be correctly done. The readers should get an idea of what the essay is about and what to expect from the document.

Now that you have a topic in hand, it is time to gather some relevant information. A definition essay is more than a mere explanation of the term. It represents the writer’s perception of the chosen term and the topic.

So having only personal opinions will not be enough to defend your point. Deeply research and gather information by consulting credible sources.

The gathered information needs to be organized to be understandable. The raw data needs to be arranged to give a structure to the content.

Here's a generic outline for a definition essay:

Are you searching for an in-depth guide on crafting a well-structured definition essay?Check out this definition essay outline blog!

6. Write the First Draft

Drafting each section correctly is a daunting task. Understanding what or what not to include in these sections requires a writer to choose wisely.

The start of your essay matters a lot. If it is on point and attractive, the readers will want to read the text. As the first part of the essay is the introduction , it is considered the first impression of your essay.

To write your definition essay introduction effectively, include the following information:

• Start your essay with a catchy hook statement that is related to the topic and the term chosen.
• State the generally known definition of the term. If the word chosen has multiple interpretations, select the most common one.
• Provide background information precisely. Determine the origin of the term and other relevant information.
• Shed light on the other unconventional concepts and definitions related to the term.
• Decide on the side or stance you want to pick in your essay and develop a thesis statement .

After briefly introducing the topic, fully explain the concept in the body section . Provide all the details and evidence that will support the thesis statement. To draft this section professionally, add the following information:

• A detailed explanation of the history of the term.
• Analysis of the dictionary meaning and usage of the term.
• A comparison and reflection of personal understanding and the researched data on the concept.

Once all the details are shared, give closure to your discussion. The last paragraph of the definition essay is the conclusion . The writer provides insight into the topic as a conclusion.

The concluding paragraphs include the following material:

• Summary of the important points.
• Restated thesis statement.
• A final verdict on the topic.

7. Proofread and Edit

Although the writing process ends with the concluding paragraph, there is an additional step. It is important to proofread the essay once you are done writing. Proofread and revise your document a couple of times to make sure everything is perfect.

Before submitting your assignment, make edits, and fix all mistakes and errors.

If you want to learn more about how to write a definition essay, here is a video guide for you!

Definition Essay Structure 

The structure of a definition essay is similar to that of any other academic essay. It should consist of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. 

However, the focus of a definition essay is on defining and explaining a particular term or concept. 

In this section, we will discuss the structure of a definition essay in detail.

Introduction 

Get the idea of writing an introduction for a definition essay with this example:

Body Paragraphs

Here is an example of how to craft your definition essay body paragraph:

Types of the Term/Concept 

If applicable, the writer may want to include a section that discusses the different types or categories of the term or concept being defined. 

This section should explain the similarities and differences between the types, using examples and anecdotes to illustrate the points.

Examples of the Term/Concept in Action 

The writer should also include real-life examples of the term or concept being defined in action. 

This will help the reader better understand the term or concept in context and how it is used in everyday life.

Conclusion 

This example will help you writing a conclusion fo you essay:

Definition Essay Examples

It is important to go through some examples and samples before writing an essay. This is to understand the writing process and structure of the assigned task well.

Following are some examples of definition essays to give our students a better idea of the concept. 

Understanding the Definition Essay

Definition Essay Example

Definition Essay About Friendship

Definition Essay About Love

Family Definition Essay

Success Definition Essay

Beauty Definition Essay

Definition Essay Topics

Selecting the right topic is challenging for other essay types. However, picking a suitable theme for a definition essay is equally tricky yet important. Pick an interesting subject to ensure maximum readership.

If you are facing writer’s block, here is a list of some great definition essay topics for your help. Choose from the list below and draft a compelling essay.

• Authenticity
• Sustainability
• Mindfulness

Here are some more extended definition essay topics:

• Social media addiction
• Ethical implications of gene editing
• Personalized learning in the digital age
• Ecosystem services
• Cultural assimilation versus cultural preservation
• Sustainable fashion
• Gender equality in the workplace
• Financial literacy and its impact on personal finance
• Ethical considerations in artificial intelligence
• Welfare state and social safety nets

Need more topics? Check out this definition essay topics blog!

Definition Essay Writing Tips

Knowing the correct writing procedure is not enough if you are not aware of the essay’s small technicalities. To help students write a definition essay effortlessly, expert writers of CollegeEssay.org have gathered some simple tips.

These easy tips will make your assignment writing phase easy.

• Choose an exciting yet informative topic for your essay.
• When selecting the word, concept, or term for your essay, make sure you have the knowledge.
• When consulting a dictionary for the definition, provide proper referencing as there are many choices available.
• To make the essay informative and credible, always provide the origin and history of the term.
• Highlight different meanings and interpretations of the term.
• Discuss the transitions and evolution in the meaning of the term in any.
• Provide your perspective and point of view on the chosen term.

Following these tips will guarantee you better grades in your academics.

By following the step-by-step approach explained in this guide, you will acquire the skills to craft an outstanding essay. 

Struggling with the thought, " write my college essay for m e"? Look no further.

Our dedicated definition essay writing service is here to craft the perfect essay that meets your academic needs.

For an extra edge, explore our AI essay writer , a tool designed to refine your essays to perfection. 

Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Keep reading

Legal & Policies

• Privacy Policy
• Cookies Policy
• Terms of Use
• Refunds & Cancellations
• Our Writers
• Success Stories
• Our Guarantees
• Affiliate Program
• Referral Program
• AI Essay Writer

Disclaimer: All client orders are completed by our team of highly qualified human writers. The essays and papers provided by us are not to be used for submission but rather as learning models only.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Learning Objectives

• Determine the purpose and structure of the definition essay
• Understand how to write a definition essay

The Purpose of Definition in Writing

The purpose of a definition essay may seem self-explanatory: to simply define something. But defining terms in writing is often more complicated than just consulting a dictionary. In fact, the way we define terms can have far-reaching consequences for individuals as well as groups.

Take, for example, a word like  alcoholism . The way in which one defines alcoholism depends on its legal, moral, and medical contexts. Lawyers may define alcoholism in terms of laws governing drinking alcohol; parents may define alcoholism in terms of morality; and doctors may define alcoholism in terms of symptoms and diagnostic criteria. Think also of terms that people tend to debate in our broader culture. How we define words, such as  marriage  and  climate change , has enormous impact on policy decisions and even on daily decisions. Think about conversations couples may have in which words like  commitment ,  respect , or love  need clarification.

Defining terms within a relationship, or any other context, can at first be difficult, but once a definition is established between two people or in a group of people, it is easier to have productive dialogues. Definitions, then, establish the way in which people communicate ideas. They set parameters for a given discourse, which is why they are so important.

Writing at Work

Definitions play a critical role in all workplace environments. Take the term sexual harassment , for example. Sexual harassment is broadly defined on the federal level, but individual companies may have additional criteria that define it further for a particular work setting. Knowing how your workplace defines and treats all sexual harassment allegations is important. Think, too, about how your company defines  lateness ,  productivity , or  contributions .

The Structure of a Definition Essay

The definition essay opens with a general discussion of the term to be defined. You then state as your thesis your definition of the term.

The rest of the essay should explain the rationale for your definition. Remember that a dictionary’s definition is limiting, and you should not rely strictly on the dictionary entry. Instead, consider the context in which you are using the word. Context  identifies the circumstances, conditions, or setting in which something exists or occurs. Often words take on different meanings depending on the context in which they are used. For example, the ideal leader in a battlefield setting could likely be very different than a leader in an elementary school setting. If context is missing from the essay, the essay may be too short or the main points could be confusing or misunderstood.

The remainder of the essay should explain different aspects of the term’s definition. For example, if you were defining a good leader in an elementary classroom setting, you might define the person according to personality traits: patience, consistency, and flexibility. Each attribute would be explained in its own paragraph.

It is a good idea to occasionally assess your role in the workplace. You can do this through the process of definition. Identify your role at work by defining not only the routine tasks but also those grey areas where your responsibilities might overlap with those of others. Coming up with a clear definition of roles and responsibilities can add value to your resumé and even increase productivity in the workplace.

Self-Practice Exercise 4.6

H5P: Definition Writing Practice

Exercise Preamble

In this exercise, we’ll think about why definitions are important. If you’ve ever been in a lengthy argument only to discover everyone is actually arguing about different things, you’ll understand why clear definitions are so important.

Today, you’ll write about a time in your own life in which the definition of a word, or the lack of a definition, caused an argument. Your term could be something as simple as the category of an all–star in sports or how to define a good movie: for example, does everyone have the same criteria for deciding who the best actor is? Or it could be something with higher stakes and wider impact, such as a political argument: for example, does everyone mean the same thing when they use a phrase like “cancel culture”?

First, explain how the argument began.

Next, explain how the argument hinged on the definition of the word.

Finally, explain how the incident was resolved.

You could develop this into a longer essay by using what you’ve done so far as an introduction, and then focusing on the parts of the definition. Structurally, each idea or unique component of the definition should have its own paragraph.

Writing a Definition Essay

Choose a topic that will be complex enough to be discussed at length. Choosing a word or phrase of personal relevance often leads to a more interesting and engaging essay.

After you have chosen your word or phrase, start your essay with an introduction that establishes the relevance of the term in the chosen specific context. Your thesis comes at the end of the introduction, and it should clearly state your definition of the term in the specific context. Establishing a functional context from the beginning will orient readers and minimize misunderstandings.

The body paragraphs should each be dedicated to explaining a different facet of your definition. Make sure to use clear examples and strong details to illustrate your points. Your concluding paragraph should pull together all the different elements of your definition to ultimately reinforce your thesis. See  Appendix 1: Readings: Examples of Essays  to read a sample definition essay.

Key Takeaways

• Definitions establish the way in which people communicate ideas. They set parameters for a given discourse.
• Context affects the meaning and usage of words.
• The thesis of a definition essay should clearly state the writer’s definition of the term in the specific context.
• Body paragraphs should explain the various facets of the definition stated in the thesis.
• The conclusion should pull all the elements of the definition together at the end and reinforce the thesis.

ENGL Resources Copyright © by Tara Horkoff. All Rights Reserved.

Share This Book

• More from M-W
• To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

Definition of essay

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of essay  (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

• composition

attempt , try , endeavor , essay , strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end.

attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

Examples of essay in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'essay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle French essai , ultimately from Late Latin exagium act of weighing, from Latin ex- + agere to drive — more at agent

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing essay

• essay question
• photo - essay

Articles Related to essay

To 'Essay' or 'Assay'?

You'll know the difference if you give it the old college essay

Dictionary Entries Near essay

Cite this entry.

“Essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essay. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of essay.

Kids Definition of essay  (Entry 2 of 2)

More from Merriam-Webster on essay

Nglish: Translation of essay for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of essay for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about essay

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day, approbation.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Every letter is silent, sometimes: a-z list of examples, plural and possessive names: a guide, the difference between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.', more commonly misspelled words, absent letters that are heard anyway, popular in wordplay, weird words for autumn time, much ado about ‘folie à deux’, 10 words from taylor swift songs (merriam's version), 9 superb owl words, 15 words that used to mean something different, games & quizzes.

• How to Write a Definition Essay

A definition essay can be deceivingly difficult to write. This type of paper requires you to write a personal yet academic definition of one specific word. The definition must be thorough and lengthy. It is essential that you choose a word that will give you plenty to write about, and there are a few standard tactics you can use to elaborate on the term. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when writing a definition essay.

Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Right Word

1: choose an abstract word with a complex meaning. [1].

A simple word that refers to a concrete word will not give you much to write about, but a complex word that refers to an abstract concept provides more material to explore.

• Typically, nouns that refer to a person, place, or thing are too simple for a definition essay. Nouns that refer to an idea work better, however, as do most adjectives.
• For example, the word “house” is fairly simple and an essay written around it may be dull. By switching to something slightly more abstract like “home,” however, you can play around with the definition more. A “home” is a concept, and there are many elements involved in the creation of a “home.” In comparison, a “house” is merely a structure.

2: Make sure that the word is disputable.

Aside from being complex, the word should also refer to something that can mean different things to different people.

• A definition essay is somewhat subjective by nature since it requires you to analyze and define a word from your own perspective. If the answer you come up with after analyzing a word is the same answer anyone else would come up with, your essay may appear to lack depth.

3: Choose a word you have some familiarity with.

Dictionary definitions can only tell you so much. Since you need to elaborate on the word you choose to define, you will need to have your own base of knowledge or experience with the concept you choose.

• For instance, if you have never heard the term “pedantic,” your understanding of the word will be limited. You can introduce yourself to the word for your essay, but without previous understanding of the concept, you will not know if the definition you describe is truly fitting.

4: Read the dictionary definition.

While you will not be relying completely on the dictionary definition for your essay, familiarizing yourself with the official definition will allow you to compare your own understanding of the concept with the simplest, most academic explanation of it.

• As an example, one definition of “friend” is “a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.” [2] Your own ideas or beliefs about what a “friend” really is likely include much more information, but this basic definition can present you with a good starting point in forming your own.

5:  Research the word’s origins.

Look up your chosen word in the Oxford English Dictionary or in another etymology dictionary. [3]

• These sources can tell you the history behind a word, which can provide further insight on a general definition as well as information about how a word came to mean what it means today.

Part 2 of 3: Potential Elements of an Effective Definition

1: write an analysis. [4].

Separate a word into various parts. Analyze and define each part in its own paragraph.

• You can separate “return” into “re-” and “turn.” The word “friendship” can be separated into “friend” and “ship.”
• In order to analyze each portion of a word, you will still need to use additional defining tactics like negation and classification.
• Note that this tactic only works for words that contain multiple parts. The word “love,” for instance, cannot be broken down any further. If defining “platonic love,” though, you could define both “platonic” and “love” separately within your essay.

2:  Classify the term.

Specify what classes and parts of speech a word belongs to according to a standard dictionary definition.

• While this information is very basic and dry, it can provide helpful context about the way that a given word is used.

3: Compare an unfamiliar term to something familiar.

An unfamiliar or uncommon concept can be explained using concepts that are more accessible to the average person.

• Many people have never heard of the term “confrere,” for instance. One basic definition is “a fellow member of a profession, fraternity, etc.” As such, you could compare “confrere” with “colleague,” which is a similar yet more familiar concept. [5]

4:  Provide traditional details about the term.

Explain any physical characteristics or traditional thoughts used to describe your term of choice.

• The term “home” is often visualized physically as a house or apartment. In more abstract terms, “home” is traditionally thought to be a warm, cozy, and safe environment. You can include all of these features in a definition essay on “home.”

5: Use examples to illustrate the meaning.

People often relate to stories and vivid images, so using a fitting story or image that relates to the term can be used in clarifying an abstract, formless concept.

• In a definition essay about “kindness,” for example, you could write about an act of kindness you recently witnessed. Someone who mows the lawn of an elderly neighbor is a valid example, just as someone who gave you an encouraging word when you were feeling down might be.

6: Use negation to explain what the term does not mean.

If a term is often misused or misunderstood, mentioning what it is not is an effective way to bring the concept into focus.

• A common example would be the term “courage.” The term is often associated with a lack of fear, but many will argue that “courage” is more accurately described as acting in spite of fear.

7: Provide background information.

This is when your research about the etymology of a word will come in handy. Explain where the term originated and how it came to mean what it currently means.

Part 3 of 3: Definition Essay Structure

1: introduce the standard definition..

You need to clearly state what your word is along with its traditional or dictionary definition in your introductory paragraph.

• By opening with the dictionary definition of your term, you create context and a basic level of knowledge about the word. This will allow you to introduce and elaborate on your own definition.
• This is especially significant when the traditional definition of your term varies from your own definition in notable ways.

2: Define the term in your own words in your thesis.

Your actual thesis statement should define the term in your own words.

• Keep the definition in your thesis brief and basic. You will elaborate on it more in the body of your paper.
• Avoid using passive phrases involving the word “is” when defining your term. The phrases “is where” and “is when” are especially clunky. [6]
• Do not repeat part of the defined term in your definition.

3:  Separate different parts of the definition into separate paragraphs.

Each tactic or method used to define your term should be explored in a separate paragraph.

• Note that you do not need to use all the possible methods of defining a term in your essay. You should use a variety of different methods in order to create a full, well-rounded picture of the term, but some tactics will work great with some terms but not with others.

4: Conclude with a summary of your main points.

Briefly summarize your main points around the start of your concluding paragraph.

• This summary does not need to be elaborate. Usually, looking at the topic sentence of each body paragraph is a good way to form a simple list of your main points.
• You can also draw the essay to a close by referring to phrases or images evoked in your introduction.

5: Mention how the definition has affected you, if desired.

If the term you define plays a part in your own life and experiences, your final concluding remarks are a good place to briefly mention the role it plays.

• Relate your experience with the term to the definition you created for it in your thesis. Avoid sharing experiences that relate to the term but contradict everything you wrote in your essay.

Sources and Citations

• http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/Definition.html
• http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/friend?s=t
• http://www.etymonline.com/
• http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/definition.html
• http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/confrere?s=t
• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/definition.htm
• How to Write a Definition Essay. Provided by : WikiHow. Located at : http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Definition-Essay . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Table of Contents

Instructor Resources (Access Requires Login)

• Overview of Instructor Resources

An Overview of the Writing Process

• Introduction to the Writing Process
• Introduction to Writing
• Your Role as a Learner
• What is an Essay?
• Reading to Write
• Defining the Writing Process
• Videos: Prewriting Techniques
• Thesis Statements
• Organizing an Essay
• Creating Paragraphs
• Conclusions
• Editing and Proofreading
• Matters of Grammar, Mechanics, and Style
• Peer Review Checklist
• Comparative Chart of Writing Strategies

Using Sources

• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism
• Formatting the Works Cited Page (MLA)
• Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)
• APA Citation Style, 6th edition: General Style Guidelines

Definition Essay

• Definitional Argument Essay
• Critical Thinking
• Video: Thesis Explained
• Effective Thesis Statements
• Student Sample: Definition Essay

Narrative Essay

• Introduction to Narrative Essay
• Student Sample: Narrative Essay
• "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell
• "Sixty-nine Cents" by Gary Shteyngart
• Video: The Danger of a Single Story
• How to Write an Annotation
• How to Write a Summary
• Writing for Success: Narration

Illustration/Example Essay

• Introduction to Illustration/Example Essay
• "She's Your Basic L.O.L. in N.A.D" by Perri Klass
• "April & Paris" by David Sedaris
• Writing for Success: Illustration/Example
• Student Sample: Illustration/Example Essay

Compare/Contrast Essay

• Introduction to Compare/Contrast Essay
• "Disability" by Nancy Mairs
• "Friending, Ancient or Otherwise" by Alex Wright
• "A South African Storm" by Allison Howard
• Writing for Success: Compare/Contrast
• Student Sample: Compare/Contrast Essay

Cause-and-Effect Essay

• Introduction to Cause-and-Effect Essay
• "Cultural Baggage" by Barbara Ehrenreich
• "Women in Science" by K.C. Cole
• Writing for Success: Cause and Effect
• Student Sample: Cause-and-Effect Essay

Argument Essay

• Introduction to Argument Essay
• Rogerian Argument
• "The Case Against Torture," by Alisa Soloman
• "The Case for Torture" by Michael Levin
• How to Write a Summary by Paraphrasing Source Material
• Writing for Success: Argument
• Student Sample: Argument Essay
• Grammar/Mechanics Mini-lessons
• Mini-lesson: Subjects and Verbs, Irregular Verbs, Subject Verb Agreement
• Mini-lesson: Sentence Types
• Mini-lesson: Fragments I
• Mini-lesson: Run-ons and Comma Splices I
• Mini-lesson: Comma Usage
• Mini-lesson: Parallelism
• Mini-lesson: The Apostrophe
• Mini-lesson: Capital Letters
• Grammar Practice - Interactive Quizzes
• De Copia - Demonstration of the Variety of Language
• Style Exercise: Voice

Verify originality of an essay

Get ideas for your paper

Cite sources with ease

How to Write a Definition Essay: Structure, Outline, Samples

Updated 30 Aug 2024

Learn the elements, outline, and logic behind a definition essay. Explore different types of definitions and their functions. Get tips on writing a solid essay, avoiding common mistakes, and crafting a strong thesis statement. Find inspiration and ideas through definition essay example.

So what is a definition essay ? As the name suggests, a definition essay is an essay that explains in detail a certain term or concept. However, instead of being limited to a simple dictionary definition, which normally takes a few phrases, such an essay contains an extended definition that includes additional details, such as examples, descriptions, an analysis of this term and other related ones, etc. Importantly, such essays present your personal opinion about corresponding concepts.

Knowing how to write a definition essay requires a good understanding of the required elements, outline, structure, logic as described below. These essays are important since they require integration of a few interpretations on the same concepts, making clear distinctions and generalizations, providing personal interpretations, etc.

Try to write the best definitive essay with the help of our guide!

The List of Essay Definitions Encountered in Academic Writing

As a rule, before you start with the first paragraph of your definition essay, it is crucial to understand all the different types that will make your writing fit the situation and academic objectives. Therefore, when you have something great for your thesis statement and topic sentences, consider these types of definitions first:

• Analytical . As the title implies, you must use analysis and divide your subject into several parts by approaching each aspect individually. Use one paragraph per idea.
• Classification . It means that you can apply systematization for your definition essay and find similarities or specific factors to classify your issues or processes. 
• Comparison . Just like classification type, you have to find elements that stand out and compare and contrast various things that differ or appear the same. Your thesis must sum up these differences.
• Detailed Method . This is where you must focus on certain characteristics and let your audience focus on details to understand the subject well.
• Negation Approach . It means that writing a definition essay you should use your arguments clearly to prevent your audience from a wrong understanding of a problem. In simple terms, it tells people what your issue is not.
• Origins & Causes . This is where you tell about the origins of your issue or things that have caused some event or changes. Remember to provide background information and the reasons why something is important.
• Scientific Problem . As a rule, it means that you should synthesize available information and explain the ways how something is used or studied by your fellow researchers.

Of course, you can always combine these different essay definition types for the best results, which is acceptable! Remember that it should also contain your thoughts and additions if it is applicable.

If you are looking for interesting exemplification essay examples , EduBirdie has some for you. These examples can provide you with inspiration and ideas on how to effectively use exemplification in your essay, showcasing real-life examples and evidence to support your arguments.

General Definition Essay Structure

Like with other essay types, definition essay format follows the following basic structure:

• Introduction - lists standard explanations and raises important rhetorical questions attempting to interpret them, it may list interesting facts related to the background of these terms (but not only), anecdotes, funny cases, personal experience, etc. Altogether, this helps in hooking attention and providing necessary background that would allow diving deeper into the matter.
• Thesis Statement  – this is not a distinct section but rather, a key element of the introduction. For definitive essay, it should state a generalized and comprehensive personal definition. It should be formulated as an arguable claim that closely summarizes the paper’s essence.
• Main body. All paragraphs should be related to this thesis through topic sentences – normally, this is the first sentence in a paragraph. Subsequent sentences constituting the paragraph explain them, support with arguments, provide evidence and examples, etc. Paragraphs should end up with concluding sentences, which synthesize the content presented within these paragraphs, or with transitioning sentences that help introduce subsequent paragraphs for smoother content flow.
• Conclusion – this is where thesis is restated considering all ideas, arguments, and evidence that has been provided. Apart from synthesizing information, conclusions may suggest related topics for exploration.

Don't risk a zero grade!

Hire our experts to proofread, polish, and check your work for accuracy. Just $7/page. Zero AI.

Definition Essay Outline and Its Constitution

When assembling an essay outline, it is useful to consider what type of paragraphs and how many of each should be included and in what order. In terms of meaning, such types of essays have the following sections or paragraphs:

• Denotation – this part provides direct concept explanations, for instance, dictionary or formal interpretations integrated from multiple sources. This section is normally shorter and could be limited to one paragraph. If you are wondering how to start a definition essay, opening your essay by listing formal dictionary explanations would be perfectly acceptable and even fairly standard.
• Connotation – in this part, one describes related ideas or term implications, including from a personal perspective or judgement. A good method for identifying connotations is looking up the word in a thesaurus. The connotation part is typically more voluminous, being spread across multiple paragraphs.

Judged by their specific function, paragraphs can either:

• Describe – provide description of the words in detail; describe perspectives, standard or peculiar interpretations, worldviews, etc.
• Analyze – these paragraphs could dissect complex words or expressions into individual parts and analyze each of these separately, as well as in combination. This could be done, for instance, with terms “self-sufficiency”, (“self” + “sufficiency”) or “gratefulness” (“grate” + ”fulness”). Obviously, such “linguistic” analysis does not apply to simple words like “hate”, “respect”, etc. However, each word may be analyzed for multiple meanings, for instance globalization may be viewed as globalization of culture, of knowledge, commerce, lifestyle, life-quality expectations, etc.
• Exemplify – providing an eloquent and detailed example to accompany complex interpretations or argument increases understanding of it by readers, hence this is mandatory for good writing. Including good analogies has similar effects.
• Compare and contrast. These paragraphs help differentiate discussed words or concepts by strictly defining their boundaries and by highlighting similarities and differences between compared terms.
• Negate . One way of defining concepts is to tell what they are not – this is especially useful for closely related concepts.
• Provide background with regard to history and origin. While this is not practical for common words, it makes sense for neologisms, professional terms, and some other words whose origin is easily tracked (for instance, “democracy”).

Consider definition essay outline and structural requirements along with what types of paragraphs would constitute your essays and what they would be exactly about and you’ll end up with definitive and solid outline.

Tips On How to Write a Definition Essay

Although it may not sound application to writing a definition essay, it must inspire you or motivate you to know your subject because the purpose is to sound confident and clear as you deliver the facts and deliver some important concepts. Here are some tips you must consider before you start writing:

• Start With a List of Sources . Never ignore starting with a list of good references that will help you to support your existing perception of some subject. Remember about citation rules and do not overdo your quoting because it can lead to increased similarity rates and plagiarism risks.
• Proofread & Edit . Always proofread your definition essay to eliminate repetitions and the weak parts that may sound confusing to your reader. Pay attention to possible grammar and spelling issues. By doing so, you can improve your final grade and avoid those minor mistakes. It is also good to proofread your paper aloud to ensure that it sounds right.
• Check The Requires Structure . Even if you may think that you already know it all, it is recommended to check your grading rubric twice in terms of structure and the required paragraphs.
• Research Your Subject . It means that even if you have a good list of sources, you must provide your audience with an unbiased outlook. It will take some time to read through the various sources to determine how the subject is approached by others. Make sure that you check more than one source or dictionary for your definition. Writing a definition essay, doing so will give you a full picture and various semantic meanings.
• Avoid Copying Definitions . Do not copy definitions word-by-word even if you are turning to some dictionary. It is recommended to express your thoughts and paraphrase things to provide a better definition without plagiarism even if it is unintentional.

Common Mistakes That Occur While Writing Interpretations 

Below, we list some usual mistakes made when writing definition essay:

• Choosing topics that are either too narrow or concrete to allow extended definitions, various perspectives or interpretations. Rather than choosing terms like “Cold War”, “TV mass culture” more general and broad definition essay topics should be used, such as “war”, “culture”, “freedom”, “dignity”, “innovation”, etc.
• Selecting topics that are overly broad or that represent little potential for captivating discussion: “work”, “rain”, “sand”. It is generally advisable to choose controversial topics or concepts whose understanding varies significantly among individuals and might even be associated with conflicting positions.
• Failing to research term properly. Knowing how to define a word in an essay exhaustively implies working with dictionaries. Ignoring these results in a serious mistake, since these normally list all known word meanings in various contexts – exploring how concepts change depending on context is an important starting point for writing definition essays. Combining several good dictionaries could be especially powerful – this will help cover the entire semantic space of a given word, guiding further interpretations and description of connotations.
• Quoting overly lengthy formulations exactly as found in dictionaries – this should be avoided since it affects your level of uniqueness and may be treated as plagiarism by many software tools.

If you are keen to avoid mistakes, consider contracting our academic assistance service. Apart from definition essays, our writers are familiar with definition narrative essay, research papers, laboratory reports, coursework, case studies, capstone projects, speeches, how to write an informative essay , and virtually any other type of writing help one can imagine.

Need more writing assistance?

Connect with our top writers and receive a Definition essay crafted to your needs.

Definition Essay Example for Students

Given that definition essay example  can be much more helpful in familiarizing readers with this type of essay, below we provide such a sample (the thesis is italicized).

Justice Justice is hugely important element for relationships between individuals and virtually for any human group, however small – obviously, this applies to society as a whole. Commonly understood meaning of justice is adherence to fairness and impartiality whenever dealing with other people or when conflicts management, be it in daily life or within the frames of legal system. The Cambridge online dictionary defines justice as "fairness in the way people are dealt with" or "the condition of being morally correct or fair". As a law term, it is "the system of laws in a country by which people are judged and punished". Moreover, here in the US, it also means a "judge in a law court". The Merriam-Webster dictionary adds a few other unique definitions, for instance "the maintenance or administration of what is just" for instance, by justly managing conflicting claims, rewarding, and punishing. Other definitions are "conformity to truth, fact, or reason", "the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action" but also conformity to this principle (righteousness). Thus, apart from being used to designate judges, all formal interpretations of justice, in a way or another, deal with fair treatment, regardless of whether individuals, groups, or state institutions are considered. Hence, this is regarded as the core and fairly universal meaning of the term. Importantly, many dictionaries mention impartiality as an essential component of this treatment. Impartiality ensures that deliverers of justice put fairness principles above their own interests and above interests of any given actor involved in conflicts that are managed. Apart from this, when thinking about justice or justice deliverers, the following concepts are implied:  integrity, honesty, equity, adherence to truth and law, legitimacy. Nevertheless, understanding of justice differs greatly across individuals but also across societies and cultural groups, which ultimately reflects in laws. For instance, principle of “an eye for an eye” practiced under Iran’s sharia law may seem totally weird here, in the US or western world, where we are used with standardized punishments proportional to crime gravity, such as incarceration, monetary fines, property sequestration. A renowned example involved an Iranian man who blinded a woman using acid and who was sentenced in 2008 to the same punishment. Thus, justice is essentially fair, impartial treatment, be it in interpersonal or collective interaction and whether it is reflected in simple actions or in laws. Importantly, this term has to be examined within societal and cultural context, as notions may vary significantly depending on this.

To conclude, definitive essay provides a broad overview of word or phrase meaning across different contexts along with implications, examples, explanations, and interpretation. Depending on the concepts approached, producing such essays are fairly challenging, which is a good reason to consider essay writing service provided by Edubirdie.

With us, you have greater liberty in selecting your preferred writer according to performance statistics. You can also continuously assess project progress by requesting outlines, drafts, writing samples and effectively correct or guide writers in real time. We also implemented an unlimited free revisions policy if order instructions are not met but also a money-back guarantee policy if revisions are unsatisfactory. Despite high quality output, we strive to minimize potential risks for clients, so that they feel maximally safe contracting our services. Considering all these, why not give it a try?

What makes a good definition essay?

A good definition essay will achieve three goals: it will tell your readers about what is being defined; it will present you with clear and basic information; it will turn to facts and good real-life examples that will help people to understand things. After all, it is the purpose of a good definition essay. Remember to make it vivid and accessible.

How to start a definition essay?

You should start with a good introduction to your subject. Make sure that you provide information about why something is important and how or why it is approached by the academic community or professionals in your field. Start with the most common definition that fits your topic and continue with the less common types.

How do you write a thesis statement for a definition essay?

An introduction of a definition essay ends with a thesis that should express personal and generalized definitions or interpretations of the explored concepts. These arguable statements are the focal points of definition essays, which means that papers revolve entirely around these. The thesis needs to be general enough to connect with and cover all paragraph topic sentences.

How do you write a definition term?    

Picking terms for such essays is done by considering how interesting or controversial the topics are, whether they engulf definitions that vary depending on different circumstances or contexts, whether they allow multiple perspectives, views, including conflictual, whether the author is familiar with these terms and provide an interpretation of these, etc.

How do you organize a definition essay?                  

Organizing essays involves considering the traditional structure, according to which there is an introduction, main body, conclusion, but also deciding how many paragraphs should be used for each section and what information should be each paragraph’s function: denotation, connotation, description, analysis, exemplification, comparison, etc.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback, related blog posts, best definition essay topics guide for an a+ grade.

Knowing the rules of a definition essay writing is one of the best skills that can be useful for expressing your own idea regarding a particular to...

150+ Personal Essay Topics to Spark Your Creativity

What Is a Personal Essay and Why Is It Important? A personal essay is a form of writing that allows the author to express personal experiences, ...

100+ Engaging Evaluation Essay Topics: From Internet Trends to Cultural Identity

Evaluation essays involve making value judgments about various subjects. To craft an effective evaluation essay, you must first identify a clear ar...

Join our 150K of happy users

• Get original papers written according to your instructions
• Save time for what matters most

Lerninhalte finden

• Abituraufgaben
• Französisch
• Psychologie
• Germanistik
• Ingenieurwissenschaften
• Rechtswissenschaften
• Umweltwissenschaft
• Gastronomie und Tourismus
• Kaufmännische
• Zahnmedizinische Fachangestellte

Findest Du, dass das Wahlalter auf 16 Jahre herabgesetzt werden sollte? Denkst Du, dass der Klimawandel die größte Herausforderung für die nächsten Generationen sein wird? Mit solchen aktuellen  Themen setzen sich Essays auseinander. Egal, ob Du Dich also für geschichtliche, soziale, wissenschaftliche oder politische Themen interessierst –   beim Schreiben eines Essays kannst Du Deinen eigenen Standpunkt vertreten. 

Lerne mit Millionen geteilten Karteikarten

• Cell Biology

Welche Aussage ist richtig? 

Welche ist keine Art des Essays? 

Bei welcher Art des Essays wird ein Thema und seine Folgen dargestellt? 

In welcher Zeitform wird der Essay verfasst? 

Welcher ist der kürzeste Teil des Essays? 

Review generated flashcards

um mit dem Lernen zu beginnen oder eigene AI-Karteikarten zu erstellen

Erstelle unlimitiert Karteikarten auf StudySmarter 🥹🤝

StudySmarter Redaktionsteam

Team Essay Lehrer

• 11 Minuten Lesezeit
• Geprüft vom StudySmarter Redaktionsteam
• Dichter und Denker
• Epische Werke
• Interpretation literarischer Texte
• Literaturepochen
• Lyrische Texte
• Materialgestütztes Schreiben
• Rechtschreibregeln
• Rhetorische Stilmittel
• Sprachanalyse
• Spracherwerbstheorien
• Textproduktion
• Argumentation schreiben
• Aufsatz Schreiben
• Bewerbungsschreiben
• Bildbeschreibung
• Bildergeschichte
• Brief schreiben
• Briefumschlag beschriften
• Charakterisierung
• Erlebniserzählung
• Figurenkonstellation
• Filmanalyse
• Fünf-Schritte-Lesemethode
• Gegenstandsbeschreibung
• Informationstext schreiben
• Inhaltsangabe
• Interpretation
• Literaturverfilmungen
• Personenbeschreibung
• Reizwortgeschichte
• Sachtextanalyse
• Schreibplan
• Steckbrief schreiben
• Stellungnahme
• Szenenanalyse
• Tagebucheintrag
• Text zusammenfassen
• Vorgangsbeschreibung
• Vorstellungsgespräch
• Wegbeschreibung
• Werkvergleich
• Zusammenfassung
• Textverständnis

Jump to a key chapter

Essay – Definition

Essays sind eine Aufsatzart, die sowohl in Schulen und Hochschulen, als auch im professionellen Journalismus zu finden sind, weil sie die Leser*innen zum Nachdenken anregen. Im Gegensatz zu einer wissenschaftlichen Arbeit wird das Thema eines Essays jedoch nicht objektiv betrachtet, sondern die Fragestellung durch eigene Argument e und Beispiele beantwortet, sodass die subjektive Meinung des Autors/der Autorin dargestellt wird. Deswegen werden nur wenig direkte Zitate und ausschließlich zur Bekräftigung der eigenen Sichtweise verwendet.

Übrigens: beide Formen – der und das Essay – sind richtig.

Nachfolgend findest Du die Definition des Essays:

Der Essay ist eine Art des Aufsatzes , bei der aktuelle wissenschaftliche, literarische oder alltägliche Themen in kurzer aber genauer Form behandelt werden. Dabei wird die Fragestellung aus subjektiver Perspektive diskutiert – es wird also eine eigene Meinung zum Thema abgegeben.

Essay – Merkmale

Durch das Schreiben von Essays soll das zielgerichtete und knappe Darstellen eines komplexeren Themas , das Entwickeln von Argumenten und die sachliche Formulierung der eigenen Meinung geübt werden. Welche sprachlichen Merkmale dabei besonders von Bedeutung sind, erfährst Du im Folgenden.

Sprache eines Essays

Obwohl der sprachliche Stil eines Essays freier gestaltet werden kann als bei einer wissenschaftlichen Arbeit, wird auf umgangssprachliche Begriffe verzichtet. Die Sprache muss immer sachlich bleiben, allerdings können Argumente durch rhetorische Stilmittel untermalt werden. Diese heben gewünschte Stellen im Text hervor und machen den Schreibstil kreativer.

Stilmittel sind sprachliche Gestaltungsmittel, mit denen man die Sprache in ihrer Wirkung beeinflussen kann. Mehr zu diesem Thema findest Du in der Erklärung " Rhetorische Stilmittel " auf StudySmarter.

Folgende rhetorische Stilmittel bieten sich für die Verwendung in einem Essay an:

Metaphern: Sie dienen der bildlichen Vorstellung eines Sachverhalts und sorgen für einen angenehmen Lesefluss.

Statt die Bürger über das Problem aufzuklären, hüllt sich die Regierung in den Mantel des Schweigens .

Der " Mantel des Schweigens " ist eine Metapher , die verwendet wird, um auszudrücken, dass jemand einen Fehler gemacht hat oder sich in einer unangenehmen Position befindet und nun nicht darüber sprechen möchte.

Rhetorische Fragen: Sie dienen der Überzeugungskraft einer Behauptung, da die Leser*innen die Antwort auf die Frage selbst liefern.

Ist dieses Verhalten in der heutigen Gesellschaft noch tragbar?

Hyperbeln: Sie dienen der Betonung und Verdeutlichung einer Aussage.

Damit tätigte der Präsident schon zum hundertsten Mal die gleiche leere Aussage.

Alliterationen: Sie tragen dazu bei, dass wichtige Aussagen, durch denselben Anfangsbuchstaben einer Wortfolge, bei Leser*innen im Gedächtnis bleiben .

Die B riten b eschlossen den B REXIT vor nunmehr zwei Jahren.

Generell sollte mit rhetorischen Stilmitteln sparsam umgegangen werden. Eingesetzt werden diese vorwiegend an Stellen, wo sie die größte Wirkung entfalten und wichtigen Aussagen mehr Bedeutung verleihen können.

Die vier Arten eines Essays

Die Art des Essays ist abhängig von der Art der Argumentation und der Darstellung der eigenen Meinung. Allgemein wird zwischen vier verschiedenen Essay-Arten unterschieden.

Der argumentative Essay

Die Argumentation erfolgt durch die Gegenüberstellung von Pro - und Contra -Argumenten, um damit den eigenen Standpunkt zu begründen. Die eigene Meinung beruht dabei auf Argumenten, die durch Forschung bestätigt wurden.

Der reflektierende Essay

Der reflektierende Essay wird auch erklärender Essay genannt, da ein Thema und seine Folgen dargestellt und Informationen sachlich wiedergegeben werden.

Der vergleichende Essay

Hierbei werden zwei ähnliche Themen oder unterschiedliche Positione n zu einem Thema miteinander verglichen, um anschließend Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten herauszuarbeiten.

Der analytische Essay

Beim wissenschaftlichen oder literarischen Essay werden Inhalt, Motive, Form, Stil und Bedeutung analysiert und interpretiert.

Essay – Themen

Bevor Du mit dem Schreiben des Essays im Rahmen einer schulischen Arbeit beginnst, solltest Du zunächst das Thema des Essays bestimmen. Hier kommt es vorwiegend auf die Aufgabenstellung an, denn entweder ist bereits ein Thema vorgegeben oder es stehen mehrere zur Auswahl. Für einen Essay werden häufig aktuelle Themen gewählt, die gesellschaftlich relevant sind, z.B. aus den Bereichen:

• Technologie

Am besten sollte ein Thema gewählt werden, mit dem Du Dich bereits auskennst oder das Du besonders interessant findest. So fällt es leichter, Argumente zu finden oder Informationen zu erklären. Sobald ein Thema ausgewählt wurde, wird eine genaue Fragestellung formuliert, die im direkten Zusammenhang zu einem aktuellen Ereignis steht und im Rahmen des Essays behandelt wird.

Mögliche Fragestellungen können wie folgt aussehen:

• Sollte es ein gesetzliches Tempolimit auf deutschen Autobahnen geben?
• Sollte der Verkauf von Marihuana legalisiert werden?
• Sollten die Nebenwirkung beworbener Produkte in der Werbung enthalten sein?

Als Marihuana werden die kleinen getrockneten Blüten und Blätter der Cannabispflanze bezeichnet, die bei ihrer Einnahme eine rauschfördernde Wirkung entfalten. Daher ist der Besitz und Verkauf in Deutschland illegal.

Nachdem die Fragestellung festgelegt ist, sollten noch einige Vorbereitungen getroffen werden, damit beim Schreiben des Essays keine wichtigen Informationen vergessen werden.

Essay schreiben – Vorbereitungen

Noch bevor Du mit dem Schreiben beginnst, ist es wichtig, sich einen Überblick über das Thema zu verschaffen. Dabei kann die Methode des Brainstormings im Zuge Deiner Vorbereitung behilflich sein. Hierbei werden alle Ideen, die Dir zu dem Thema einfallen, aufgeschrieben. Ob die Informationen tatsächlich relevant für den späteren Essay sind, ist dabei zunächst egal.

Im nächsten Schritt wird eine Mindmap erstellt, die die Ideen visuell festhält und in einen konkreten Zusammenhang mit dem Thema bringt. Hierfür wird das Thema des Essays zur besseren Veranschaulichung in die Mitte eines Blatt Papiers geschrieben. Um die Fragestellung herum werden die einzelnen Aspekte angeordnet, die sich wiederum verzweigen können.

Für die Argumentation ist es außerdem hilfreich, Informationen aus der Fachliteratur zu recherchieren . Die Notizen der Mindmap geben dabei schon Anhaltspunkte, nach welchen Informationen bzw. Fakten gesucht werden soll. Diese Angaben können der Bekräftigung von Argumenten, der Darstellung eines Sachverhalts oder dem Vergleich unterschiedlicher Positionen dienen.

Essay schreiben

Um einen guten Essay zu schreiben, ist es hilfreich, einige Schritte zu beachten, damit der Aufsatz alle wichtigen Informationen enthält, logisch strukturiert und sprachlich gut verständlich ist. Der Essay wird, wie die meisten Aufsatzformen, im Präsens verfasst.

Essay – Aufbau

Der Essay besteht aus einer Einleitung , einem Hauptteil und einem Schluss . Die Länge eines Essays kann je nach Thema und Vorgaben der Lehrer*innen variieren, umfasst aber in der Regel zwischen drei und zehn Seiten.

An folgender Gliederung orientiert sich der Aufbau eines Essays:

• Belege für die Argumente

Essay – Einleitung

Die Einleitung ist der kürzeste Teil des Essays und dient zur Einführung in das Thema. Überdies sollte sie mit spannenden Fakten oder einem kreativen Einstieg das Interesse der Leser*innen wecken. Als zentraler Punkt der Einleitung wird die Fragestellung bzw. die These des Essays dargestellt. Diese dient als Leitgedanke , der das umfassende Thema in einem Satz darstellt und sich wie ein roter Faden durch den Essay zieht. Bei der Formulierung der Einleitung kannst Du Dich außerdem an folgenden Fragen orientieren:

• Warum wurde dieses Thema gewählt?
• Warum ist das Thema relevant?
• Welche Standpunkte gibt es bereits zu dem Thema?
• Welche Sicht vertrete ich?
• Wie ist meine Meinung zu dem Thema?

Essay Einleitung – Beispiele

Eine mögliche Fragestellung für das folgende Beispiel könnte lauten: Sollte Massentierhaltung verboten werden?

Laut der Albert Schweitzer Stiftung leben und sterben circa 763 Millionen Tiere pro Jahr in deutschen Massentierhaltungsbetrieben. Dabei leben die Tiere unter gewaltsamen Haltungsformen, ihre Bewegungsfreiheit wird durch den Platzmangel stark eingeschränkt und um die Tiere trotz der ungeeigneten Haltungsform zu gewinnbringenden Fleischlieferanten heranzuzüchten, wird ihnen routinemäßig Antibiotika verabreicht. Angesichts dessen stellt sich mir die Frage, warum Massentierhaltung nicht schon längst verboten wurde...

Essay – Hauptteil

Im Hauptteil wird das Thema inhaltlich ausgeführt. Er ist somit der längste Teil des Essays. Hier wird die Fragestellung oder These anhand von eigenen Beispielen dargestellt und belegt, da der Essay die subjektive Meinung der Autor*innen wiedergeben soll. Es bietet sich jedoch die Verwendung von Statistiken, Fakten und Argumenten aus der Literatur an, um die eigene Meinung zu untermauern.

Jedes Argument wird dabei in einem eigenen Absatz dargestellt, mit einem Beispiel belegt und durch Überleitungen mit dem nächsten Abschnitt verknüpft. Die Reihenfolge erfolgt vom schwächsten zum stärksten Argument. Ansonsten sollten auch Gegenbehauptungen angeführt werden, um diese, wenn möglich, zu entkräften.

Beispiele für die Formulierung von Übergängen

• Zunächst ist zu nennen...
• Darauf aufbauend....
• Ein weiteres Argument....
• Überzeugender ist jedoch...
• Am stärksten überzeugt...
• Andererseits sollte berücksichtigt werden...
• Darüber hinaus...; im Folgenden...; weiterhin ist zu nennen...
• Das ist daran zu erkennen...

Ein weiteres Argument, das für ein Wahlrecht ab 16 Jahren spricht, ist, dass den Jugendlichen dadurch ein echtes Mitbestimmungsrecht zukommen würde, sodass sie ihre Zukunft aktiv mitgestalten könnten. Politische Entscheidungen haben meist weitreichende Folgen, die das Leben der jüngeren Generation im Erwachsenenalter beeinflusst. Ohne die Absenkung des Wahlalters würden Jugendliche später mit den Konsequenzen dieser politischen Entscheidungen leben müssen, an denen sie nicht teilhaben konnten. Auszubildende sind etwa steuerpflichtig und sollten daher auch ein Mitentscheidungsrecht haben, was mit ihrem Geld passiert.

Essay – Schluss

Der Schluss eines Essays enthält ein Fazit, das auf der Argumentation im Hauptteil beruht und Deine persönliche Meinung zum Thema verdeutlicht. Dafür können die wichtigsten Argumente aufgegriffen werden, sodass noch einmal ersichtlich wird, weshalb sie überzeugend sind. Statt die Belege erneut ausführlich zusammenzufassen, reicht es diese einfach kurz zu nennen, da es sonst zu Wiederholungen kommt.

Basierend auf den Argumenten des Hauptteils können im Schluss Lösungsvorschläge oder Vergleiche zu einem ähnlichen Thema gemacht werden.

Beispiele für die Formulierung eines Fazits

• Aus diesen Gründen...
• Daran zeigt sich...
• Insgesamt zeigt sich...
• Zusammenfassend ist zu sagen....
• Für mein Dafürhalten...
• Meiner Meinung nach überzeugt...

Die politische Debatte um eine Absenkung des Wahlalters auf 16 Jahre ist aufgrund des erhöhten politischen Engagements der Jugendlichen in den vergangenen Jahren durchaus berechtigt. Durch die "Fridays for future" Bewegung nehmen Tausende von Jugendlichen bereits Einfluss auf das politische Tagesgeschäft und tragen zur politischen Meinungsbildung in ihrer Altersgruppe bei. Für mein Dafürhalten sprechen die dargelegten Argumente für eine Absenkung des Wahlalters, da insbesondere das Hauptgegenargument bezüglich einer Schwächung der Demokratie nicht überzeugt.

Essay - Das Wichtigste

• Der Essay befasst sich mit wissenschaftlichen , literarischen und alltäglichen Themen und soll die Leser*innen zum Nachdenken anregen.
• Die Fragestellung des Essays wird durch eigene Argumente und Beispiele beantwortet.
• In Essays wird die subjektive Meinung der Autor*innen dargestellt.
• Der sprachliche Stil eines Essays ist ungebundener als bei einer wissenschaftlichen Arbeit, weshalb die Verwendung von stilistischen Mitteln die eigenen Argumente unterstützen kann.
• Der Essay besteht aus einer Einleitung, einem Hauptteil und einem Schluss.
• Die in der Einleitung definierte Fragestellung wird im Hauptteil anhand von eigenen Argumenten und Beispielen beantwortet, sodass am Schluss ein Fazit gezogen werden kann, das die eigene Meinung zum Thema verdeutlicht.

Karteikarten in Essay 5

In einem Essay wird die subjektive Meinung  der Autor*innen dargestellt.

Der gleichsetzende Essay 

Beim reflektierenden Essay 

Einleitung 

Lerne mit 5 Essay Karteikarten in der kostenlosen StudySmarter App

Wir haben 14,000 Karteikarten über dynamische Landschaften.

Du hast bereits ein Konto? Anmelden

Häufig gestellte Fragen zum Thema Essay

Was genau ist ein Essay?

Der  Essay ist eine Art des  Aufsatzes , bei der aktuelle wissenschaftliche , literarische oder alltägliche Fragen in kurzer aber genauer Form behandelt werden. Dabei wird die Frage aus subjektiver Perspektive diskutiert, also eine eigene Meinung zum Thema abgegeben.

Was schreibt man in einem Essay?

In einem Essay wird die persönliche Meinung zu einem alltäglichen, wissenschaftlichen oder literarischen Thema anhand von eigenen Argumenten und Beispielen verdeutlicht. 

Wie fängt man ein Essay an Beispiel?

Zum Einstieg in den Essay kann ein aktuelles Problem oder Ereignis aus den Medien genutzt werden, um die Aktualität des Themas zu verdeutlichen und das Interesse der Leser*innen zu wecken. 

Wie schreibt man einen argumentativen Essay?

Bei einem argumentativen Essay werden im Hauptteil Pro- und Contra-Argumente gegenübergestellt, um damit den eigenen Standpunkt zu begründen. 

Teste dein Wissen mit Multiple-Choice-Karteikarten

DEIN ERGEBNIS

Dein ergebnis

Melde dich für die StudySmarter App an und lerne effizient mit Millionen von Karteikarten und vielem mehr!

Bleib am Ball, du machst das großartig.

Entdecken Lernmaterialien mit der kostenlosen StudySmarter App

Über StudySmarter

StudySmarter ist ein weltweit anerkanntes Bildungstechnologie-Unternehmen, das eine ganzheitliche Lernplattform für Schüler und Studenten aller Altersstufen und Bildungsniveaus bietet. Unsere Plattform unterstützt das Lernen in einer breiten Palette von Fächern, einschließlich MINT, Sozialwissenschaften und Sprachen, und hilft den Schülern auch, weltweit verschiedene Tests und Prüfungen wie GCSE, A Level, SAT, ACT, Abitur und mehr erfolgreich zu meistern. Wir bieten eine umfangreiche Bibliothek von Lernmaterialien, einschließlich interaktiver Karteikarten, umfassender Lehrbuchlösungen und detaillierter Erklärungen. Die fortschrittliche Technologie und Werkzeuge, die wir zur Verfügung stellen, helfen Schülern, ihre eigenen Lernmaterialien zu erstellen. Die Inhalte von StudySmarter sind nicht nur von Experten geprüft, sondern werden auch regelmäßig aktualisiert, um Genauigkeit und Relevanz zu gewährleisten.

Team Deutsch Lehrer

Lerne jederzeit. Lerne überall. Auf allen Geräten.

Erstelle ein kostenloses konto, um diese erklärung zu speichern..

Speichere Erklärungen in deinem persönlichen Bereich und greife jederzeit und überall auf sie zu!

Durch deine Registrierung stimmst du den AGBs und der Datenschutzerklärung von StudySmarter zu.

Du hast schon einen Account? Anmelden

Melde dich an für Notizen & Bearbeitung. 100% for free.

Schließ dich über 22 Millionen Schülern und Studierenden an und lerne mit unserer StudySmarter App!

Die erste Lern-App, die wirklich alles bietet, was du brauchst, um deine Prüfungen an einem Ort zu meistern.

• Karteikarten & Quizze
• KI-Lernassistent
• Probeklausuren
• Intelligente Notizen

Ähnliche Themen

Hol dir alle Funktionen.

Mit unserer App hast du immer und überall Zugriff auf alle Funktionen.

Get the best learning hacks!

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua.

Bei einem Essay wird sich auf kurze, aber anspruchsvolle Weise mit einem bestimmten Thema befasst.

Essay bedeutet so viel wie Versuch und genau das soll es auch sein. Es ist der Versuch, ein Thema in einem knappen, aber anspruchsvollen und absichtlich subjektiv verfassten Kontext zu behandeln.

• Ingesamt große Freiheit durch nicht vorhandene starre Regeln
• Kein Anspruch auf Wissenschaftlichkeit und Vollständigkeit
• Eigene Überlegungen und Positionen stehen im Vordergrund: absichtlich subjektiver & wertender Kontext
• Fragen stellen, statt beantworten → Denkanstöße geben
• Freiraum für stilistische Mittel, kreative Momente & eine subjektive Darstellungsform
• Verständlich , flüssig und gern auch stilistisch-ausgefeilt
• Starke Verwendung von Stilmitteln (wie Ironie, Wortwitz und Methaphern)

Der Aufbau ist zwar grundsätzliche frei wählbar, die Form „Einleitung, Argumentation, Schluss“ ist jedoch die am weitesten verbreitete Variante.

Du musst für eine Prüfung oder einen Test lernen? Mit personalisierten Lernplänen bist du gut und strukturiert vorbereitet.

1. Einleitung

• Erläuterung des Schreibanlasses & der Relevanz der Diskussion , die du im Folgenden führen willst
• Thema: Aktuelles Ereignis, persönliche Begebenheit, Fakten oder Anekdoten
• Aufstellung einer Fragestellung und/oder einer These

2. Argumentation

• Argumentation aus verschiedenen Perspektiven (Pro & Contra)
• Formulierung einer eigenen Meinung & subjektiv geprägte Darstellung
• Dennoch klare, strukturierte & nachvollziehbare Argumentation mit erkennbarem Roten Faden und einer präzisen Argumentationsstruktur
• Oft mit sprunghaft-assoziativen Gedankenführungen, Abschweifungen und Exkursen
• Zusammenfassung der Ergebnisse (kurz und pointiert)
• Resümee : kein klares Fazit - nicht eine Lösung, sondern mehrere Lösungsmöglichkeiten
• Abwägende Betrachtung & Aufstellung weiterer Fragestellungen

Gentechnik und der Mensch - eine verhängnisvolle Allianz?

Quelle: Ausgangsmaterialien des Landesbildungsservers Baden-Württemberg ( https://www.schule-bw.de/faecher-und-schularten/sprachen-und-literatur/deutsch/sprache/essay/essay-gentechnik.pdf ) am Institut für Bildungsanalysen Baden-Württemberg (IBBW).

Sehr geehrte Leserinnen und Leser, die ihr dieses wertvolle Stück Literatur in euren Händen haltet, um euch damit zur Abendstunde in Großmutters geblümten Ohrensessel fallen zu lassen für gepflegte Unterhaltung ohne jegliche Anstrengung - daraus wird leider nichts! Ich musste mich für diesen Text anstrengen, also müssen Sie das auch.

Schließen Sie Ihre genervt verdrehten Augen und stellen Sie sich eine Welt vor. Eine Welt, in der Sie geradezu ewig von Ihrer Rentenversicherung Gebrauch machen können, eine Welt, in der Sie ohne Angst um Ihr Wohlbefinden tun und lassen können, was Sie wollen, eine Welt mit legalisierter Gentechnik am Menschen! Da staunen Sie, was? Wenn Sie meinen Anweisungen brav Folge geleistet haben, werden Sie jetzt ein perfektes Leben vor Ihrem inneren Auge sehen.

Sie, als glücklicher, gesunder Mensch mit glücklichen, gesunden Nieren und glücklichen gesunden Kindern. Stellen Sie sich das vor! Ein Kind, das Sie noch vor der Geburt zu einer Heidi Klum oder einem Einstein machen könnten! Laut einer chrismon-Umfrage von 2007 wäre mehr als einer von 20 Menschen beieiner äußerlichen Umgestaltung des eigenen Kindes dabei.

Womöglich haben die restlichen 19 Menschen bedacht, dass Gentechnik, wie man schon bei pflanzlicher Genmanipulation sehen kann, Gefahren wie Missbildungen, Mutationen oder, konkret am Menschen, Fehlgeburten verursachen könnte. Am Beispiel des ersten geklonten Schafs Dolly kann man beweisen, dass das Klonen negative Auswirkungen auf das Immunsystem des Schäfchens hatte, wodurch es relativ früh starb. Doch weg von den biologischen Feinheiten! Der Mensch zeichnet sich schließlich durch sein Gehirn und sein soziales Verhalten aus. An diesem Punkt müssen Sie, meine tapferen Leser, erneut Ihre grauen Zellen in Schwung bringen:

Denken wir zurück an unsere Kindheit. Können Sie sich noch an Ihre Schulzeit erinnern? Genauer gesagt den Sportunterricht? Sicherlich gab es auch bei Ihnen dieses unpädagogische Auswahlverfahren für zwei Mannschaften, bei dem zwei Schüler nacheinander einen Mitschüler für ihr Team auswählen dürfen. Damals war das alles gerecht, die schnellsten, stärksten und coolsten Schüler wurden immer zuerst ausgewählt. Wenn man einer besorgten Mutter Glauben schenken kann, besteht diese Gerechtigkeit heute nicht mehr, da nun die Flüchtlingskinder vor den armen deutschen Kindern ausgewählt werden. Wie soll das dann erst in der Zukunft aussehen, wenn die genmanipulierten Kinder die Oberhand in der Turnhalle haben?

Einige Gentechnikgegner kritisieren, dass das Privileg der gentechnischen Veränderung, falls es legalisiert werden sollte, sehr teuer sein werde und es somit reiche Leute bevorzugen würde. Schon jetzt gibt es gesundheitliche vorteile für privatversicherte Menschen, wodurch das Gegenargument, durch zukünftige Umverteilung zur Behebung der finanziellen Ungerechtigkeit beizutragen, meiner Meinung nach wertlos wird, da die gleiche Behandlung aller Menschen schon heute nicht funktioniert.

Außerdem wage ich zu behaupten, dass der Mensch durch den Fortschritt der Gentechnik zu einem kontrollierbaren und nahezu willenlosen Objekt wird, wie die Karikatur von sakurai-cartoons, in der der Mensch als Schrank dargestellt wird, sehr schön verdeutlicht. Wer den Film „The Island“ kennt, weiß, wovon ich spreche. Es ist vorstellbar, dass das Internet einen Trend hervorrufen könnte, bei dem ein drittes Ohr als Ideal gilt. Das Ergebnis könnte der Gruppenzwang sein, seinem Kind ein drittes Ohr hinzufügen zu lassen. Weiß Gott, wozu das führen könnte!

Apropos Gott! Ich höre schon lange das ungeduldige Schnipsen der Finger aufgekratzter Frommer unter Ihnen. Ja, jetzt ist es soweit und auch Ihr Argument kommt zum Einsatz: Laut der Bibel hat Gott uns alle nach seinem Ebenbild individuell geschaffen. Hätte er gewollt, dass wir ein drittes Ohr besäßen, hätte er es uns bereits gegeben. Durch die Gentechnik würde man dem Allmächtigen also, schlicht und simpel gesagt, ins Handwerk pfuschen. Immerhin schuf er für uns eine Welt voller Schönheit und Perfektion, nicht wahr? Er schuf für uns Autos, Medikamente, Stromgeneratoren, aber natürlich nicht die Gentechnik! Sie werden verstehen, worauf ich hinaus möchte, verehrteste Leser. Selbst wenn Gott für die Entstehung der Erde verantwortlich ist, wurde sämtlicher Fortschritt, der unser Leben versüßt, vom Menschen geschaffen. Wieso sträubt man sich also, wenn es um die mögliche Heilung tödlicher Erbkrankheiten geht? Man stelle sich vor, dass ein kleines Kind voller Lebensfreude, aber mit einem schwerwiegenden Herzfehler, einfach ein geklontes Herz implantiert bekommen könnte! Partygäste könnten sich nach Lust und Laune im Alkohol ertränken, ohne Sorge um eine für immer zerstörte Leber! Ich gebe zu, treue Leserinnen und Leser, dass dies unpassend war.

Aber dennoch: Die Gentechnik birgt unvorstellbare Chancen für unser Gesundheitswesen. Laut Ronald Dwarkin würde ein ernsthaftes Risiko bei Genmanipulationen die Forschung zwingen, ihre Arbeit einzustellen. Da diese aber weiterhin am laufen ist, kann von der Gentechnik bis jetzt keine sonderlich große Gefahr ausgehen, ganz abgesehen da-von, dass auch bei den Anfängen der Autoindustrie viele Experimente schiefgegangen sind, wie der erste Fahrversuch Daimlers beweist, der in einer Hauswand endete. Ich erwähnte vor nicht allzu langer Zeit die geistige Labilität des Menschen anhand des Beispiels eines dritten Ohres. Nun, ich habe mir erlaubt, hierbeieinige Details auszulassen, die womöglich ausschlaggebend für Ihre Meinungsbildung sein könnten. In der bereits genannten wurden neben Verbesserungswünschen an den eigenen Kindern ebenfalls gefragt, ob man überhaupt etwas verändern wolle oder sogar dürfe. Das Ergebnis: Über 40% der Befragten, also vier von zehn Menschen, würden ihr Kind überhaupt nicht ändern, sei es ein zusätzliches Ohr oder ein besserer Umgang mit Zahlen. Bemerkenswert ist in der Umfrage ebenfalls, dass die von mir so dumm dargestellte Menschheit hauptsächlich die Gentechnik zur Verhinderung von Erbkrankheiten und Behinderungen einsetzen würde.

Nun habe ich Ihr hoffentlich noch nicht überbeanspruchtes Gehirn wahrlich genug belastet, weshalb ich zum guten Schluss noch einmal deutlich machen möchte, wie mein Standpunkt zu diesem Thema ist.

Trotz meiner gelegentlich etwas irreführenden Argumentation bin ich der Meinung, dass Gentechnik am Menschen an und für sich eine gute Sache ist. Sie birgt eine große Chance im biologischen und medizinischen Bereich, solange man sie im richtigen Maße einsetzt. Genau für die Einschätzung einer guten Dosierung könnte die Menschheit allerdings noch etwas zu jung sein, zum Beispiel durch die Gefahr der Manipulation des Menschen oder den Kontrollverlust durch unüberlegtes Handeln.

Hierfür wird, wie bei jedem anderen Fortschritt auch, Zeit benötigt und gelegentlich ein kritischer Blick auf die Ziele, denn Gentechnik ist nichts anderes als die Entwicklung eines Bonbons: Es gibt verschiedene Geschmacksrichtungen, doch wenn man richtig dosiert, schmeckt es gut. Nun lehnen Sie sich zurück, essen ein Bonbon und schlafen dann in Ihrem gemütlichen Blümchensessel ein.

simpleclub ist am besten in der App.

Mit unserer App hast du immer und überall Zugriff auf: Lernvideos, Erklärungen mit interaktiven Animationen, Übungsaufgaben, Karteikarten, individuelle Lernpläne uvm.

Related topics

Materialgestütztes schreiben, rede verfassen, lineare erörterung, jetzt simpleclub azubi holen.

Mit simpleclub Azubi bekommst du Vollzugang zur App: Wir bereiten dich in deiner Ausbildung optimal auf deine Prüfungen in der Berufsschule vor. Von Ausbilder*innen empfohlen.

Academic Editing and Proofreading

• Tips to Self-Edit Your Dissertation
• Guide to Essay Editing: Methods, Tips, & Examples
• Journal Article Proofreading: Process, Cost, & Checklist
• The A–Z of Dissertation Editing: Standard Rates & Involved Steps
• Research Paper Editing | Guide to a Perfect Research Paper
• Dissertation Proofreading | Definition & Standard Rates
• Thesis Proofreading | Definition, Importance & Standard Pricing
• Research Paper Proofreading | Definition, Significance & Standard Rates
• Essay Proofreading | Options, Cost & Checklist
• Top 10 Paper Editing Services of 2024 (Costs & Features)
• Top 10 Essay Checkers in 2024 (Free & Paid)
• Top 10 AI Proofreaders to Perfect Your Writing in 2024
• Top 10 English Correctors to Perfect Your Text in 2024
• Top 10 Essay Editing Services of 2024
• 10 Advanced AI Text Editors to Transform Writing in 2024
• Personal Statement Editing Services: Craft a Winning Essay
• Top 10 Academic Proofreading Services & How They Help

Academic Research

• Research Paper Outline: Free Templates & Examples to Guide You
• How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Write a Lab Report: Examples from Academic Editors
• Research Methodology Guide: Writing Tips, Types, & Examples
• The 10 Best Essential Resources for Academic Research
• 100+ Useful ChatGPT Prompts for Thesis Writing in 2024
• Best ChatGPT Prompts for Academic Writing (100+ Prompts!)
• Sampling Methods Guide: Types, Strategies, and Examples
• Independent vs. Dependent Variables | Meaning & Examples

Academic Writing & Publishing

• Difference Between Paper Editing and Peer Review
• What are the different types of peer review?
• How to Handle Journal Rejection: Essential Tips
• Editing and Proofreading Academic Papers: A Short Guide
• How to Carry Out Secondary Research
• The Results Section of a Dissertation
• Checklist: Is my Article Ready for Submitting to Journals?
• Types of Research Articles to Boost Your Research Profile
• 8 Types of Peer Review Processes You Should Know
• The Ethics of Academic Research
• How does LaTeX based proofreading work?
• How to Improve Your Scientific Writing: A Short Guide
• Chicago Title, Cover Page & Body | Paper Format Guidelines
• How to Write a Thesis Statement: Examples & Tips
• Chicago Style Citation: Quick Guide & Examples
• The A-Z Of Publishing Your Article in A Journal
• What is Journal Article Editing? 3 Reasons You Need It
• 5 Powerful Personal Statement Examples (Template Included)
• Complete Guide to MLA Format (9th Edition)
• How to Cite a Book in APA Style | Format & Examples
• How to Start a Research Paper | Step-by-step Guide
• APA Citations Made Easy with Our Concise Guide for 2024
• A Step-by-Step Guide to APA Formatting Style (7th Edition)
• Top 10 Online Dissertation Editing Services of 2024
• Academic Writing in 2024: 5 Key Dos & Don’ts + Examples
• What Are the Standard Book Sizes for Publishing Your Book?
• MLA Works Cited Page: Quick Tips & Examples
• 2024’s Top 10 Thesis Statement Generators (Free Included!)
• Top 10 Title Page Generators for Students in 2024
• What Is an Open Access Journal? 10 Myths Busted!
• Primary vs. Secondary Sources: Definition, Types & Examples
• How To Write a College Admissions Essay That Stands Out
• How to Write a Dissertation & Thesis Conclusion (+ Examples)
• APA Journal Citation: 7 Types, In-Text Rules, & Examples
• What Is Predatory Publishing and How to Avoid It!
• What Is Plagiarism? Meaning, Types & Examples
• How to Write a Strong Dissertation & Thesis Introduction
• How to Cite a Book in MLA Format (9th Edition)
• How to Cite a Website in MLA Format | 9th Edition Rules
• 10 Best AI Conclusion Generators (Features & Pricing)
• Top 10 Academic Editing Services of 2024 [with Pricing]
• 100+ Writing Prompts for College Students (10+ Categories!)
• How to Create the Perfect Thesis Title Page in 2024
• Additional Resources
• Preventing Plagiarism in Your Thesis: Tips & Best Practices
• Final Submission Checklist | Dissertation & Thesis
• 7 Useful MS Word Formatting Tips for Dissertation Writing
• How to Write a MEAL Paragraph: Writing Plan Explained in Detail
• Em Dash vs. En Dash vs. Hyphen: When to Use Which
• The 10 Best Citation Generators in 2024 | Free & Paid Plans!
• 2024’s Top 10 Self-Help Books for Better Living
• The 10 Best Free Character and Word Counters of 2024
• Know Everything About How to Make an Audiobook
• Citation and Referencing
• Citing References: APA, MLA, and Chicago
• How to Cite Sources in the MLA Format
• MLA Citation Examples: Cite Essays, Websites, Movies & More
• Citations and References: What Are They and Why They Matter
• APA Headings & Subheadings | Formatting Guidelines & Examples
• Formatting an APA Reference Page | Template & Examples
• Research Paper Format: APA, MLA, & Chicago Style
• How to Create an MLA Title Page | Format, Steps, & Examples
• How to Create an MLA Header | Format Guidelines & Examples
• MLA Annotated Bibliography | Guidelines and Examples
• APA Website Citation (7th Edition) Guide | Format & Examples
• APA Citation Examples: The Bible, TED Talk, PPT & More
• APA Header Format: 5 Steps & Running Head Examples
• APA Title Page Format Simplified | Examples + Free Template
• How to Write an Abstract in MLA Format: Tips & Examples
• 10 Best Free Plagiarism Checkers of 2024 [100% Free Tools]
• 5 Reasons to Cite Your Sources Properly | Avoid Plagiarism!
• Dissertation Writing Guide
• Writing a Dissertation Proposal
• The Acknowledgments Section of a Dissertation
• The Table of Contents Page of a Dissertation
• The Introduction Chapter of a Dissertation
• The Literature Review of a Dissertation
• The Only Dissertation Toolkit You’ll Ever Need!
• 5 Thesis Writing Tips for Master Procrastinators
• How to Write a Dissertation | 5 Tips from Academic Editors
• The 5 Things to Look for in a Dissertation Editing Service
• Top 10 Dissertation Editing & Proofreading Services
• Why is it important to add references to your thesis?
• Thesis Editing | Definition, Scope & Standard Rates
• Expert Formatting Tips on MS Word for Dissertations
• A 7-Step Guide on How to Choose a Dissertation Topic
• 350 Best Dissertation Topic Ideas for All Streams in 2024
• A Guide on How to Write an Abstract for a Research Paper
• Dissertation Defense: What to Expect and How to Prepare
• Creating a Dissertation Title Page (Examples & Templates)
• Essay Writing Guide
• Essential Research Tips for Essay Writing
• What Is a Mind Map? Free Mind Map Templates & Examples
• How to Write an Essay Outline: 5 Examples & Free Template
• How to Write an Essay Header: MLA and APA Essay Headers

What Is an Essay? Structure, Parts, and Types

• How to Write an Essay in 8 Simple Steps (Examples Included)
• 8 Types of Essays | Quick Summary with Examples
• Expository Essays | Step-by-Step Manual with Examples
• Narrative Essay | Step-by-Step Guide with Examples
• How to Write an Argumentative Essay (Examples Included)
• Guide to a Perfect Descriptive Essay [Examples & Outline Included]
• How to Start an Essay: 4 Introduction Paragraph Examples
• How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay (Examples Included!)
• How to Write an Impactful Personal Statement (Examples Included)
• Literary Analysis Essay: 5 Steps to a Perfect Assignment
• Compare and Contrast Essay | Quick Guide with Examples
• Top AI Essay Writers in 2024: 10 Must-Haves
• 100 Best College Essay Topics & How to Pick the Perfect One!
• College Essay Format: Tips, Examples, and Free Template
• Structure of an Essay: 5 Tips to Write an Outstanding Essay
• 10 Best AI Essay Outline Generators of 2024
• The Best Essay Graders of 2024 That You Can Use for Free!
• Top 10 Free Essay Writing Tools for Students in 2024

Still have questions? Leave a comment

Add Comment

Checklist: Dissertation Proposal

Enter your email id to get the downloadable right in your inbox!

Examples: Edited Papers

Need editing and proofreading services.

• Tags: Academic Writing , Essay , Essay Writing

Writing an effective and impactful essay is crucial to your academic or professional success. Whether it’s getting into the college of your dreams or scoring high on a major assignment, writing a well-structured essay will help you achieve it all. But before you learn how to write an essay , you need to know its basic components.

In this article, we will understand what an essay is, how long it should be, and its different parts and types. We will also take a detailed look at relevant examples to better understand the essay structure.

Get an A+ with our essay editing and proofreading services! Learn more

What is an essay?

An essay is a concise piece of nonfiction writing that aims to either inform the reader about a topic or argue a particular perspective. It can either be formal or informal in nature. Most academic essays are highly formal, whereas informal essays are commonly found in journal entries, social media, or even blog posts.

As we can see from this essay definition, the beauty of essays lies in their versatility. From the exploration of complex scientific concepts to the history and evolution of everyday objects, they can cover a vast range of topics.

How long is an essay?

The length of an essay can vary from a few hundred to several thousand words but typically falls between 500–5,000 words. However, there are exceptions to this norm, such as Joan Didion and David Sedaris who have written entire books of essays.

Let’s take a look at the different types of essays and their lengths with the help of the following table:

How many paragraphs are in an essay?

Typically, an essay has five paragraphs: an introduction, a conclusion, and three body paragraphs. However, there is no set rule about the number of paragraphs in an essay.

The number of paragraphs can vary depending on the type and scope of your essay. An expository or argumentative essay may require more body paragraphs to include all the necessary information, whereas a narrative essay may need fewer.

Structure of an essay

To enhance the coherence and readability of your essay, it’s important to follow certain rules regarding the structure. Take a look:

1. Arrange your information from the most simple to the most complex bits. You can start the body paragraph off with a general statement and then move on to specifics.

2. Provide the necessary background information at the beginning of your essay to give the reader the context behind your thesis statement.

3. Select topic statements that provide value, more information, or evidence for your thesis statement.

There are also various essay structures , such as the compare and contrast structure, chronological structure, problem method solution structure, and signposting structure that you can follow to create an organized and impactful essay.

Parts of an essay

An impactful, well-structured essay comes down to three important parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion.

1. The introduction sets the stage for your essay and is typically a paragraph long. It should grab the reader’s attention and give them a clear idea of what your essay will be about.

2. The body is where you dive deeper into your topic and present your arguments and evidence. It usually consists of two paragraphs, but this can vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing.

3. The conclusion brings your essay to a close and is typically one paragraph long. It should summarize the main points of the essay and leave the reader with something to think about.

The length of your paragraphs can vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing. So, make sure you take the time to plan out your essay structure so each section flows smoothly into the next.

Introduction

When it comes to writing an essay, the introduction is a critical component that sets the tone for the entire piece. A well-crafted introduction not only grabs the reader’s attention but also provides them with a clear understanding of what the essay is all about. An essay editor can help you achieve this, but it’s best to know the brief yourself!

Let’s take a look at how to write an attractive and informative introductory paragraph.

1. Construct an attractive hook

To grab the reader’s attention, an opening statement or hook is crucial. This can be achieved by incorporating a surprising statistic, a shocking fact, or an interesting anecdote into the beginning of your piece.

For example, if you’re writing an essay about water conservation you can begin your essay with, “Clean drinking water, a fundamental human need, remains out of reach for more than one billion people worldwide. It deprives them of a basic human right and jeopardizes their health and wellbeing.”

2. Provide sufficient context or background information

An effective introduction should begin with a brief description or background of your topic. This will help provide context and set the stage for your discussion.

For example, if you’re writing an essay about climate change, you start by describing the current state of the planet and the impact that human activity is having on it.

3. Construct a well-rounded and comprehensive thesis statement

A good introduction should also include the main message or thesis statement of your essay. This is the central argument that you’ll be making throughout the piece. It should be clear, concise, and ideally placed toward the end of the introduction.

By including these elements in your introduction, you’ll be setting yourself up for success in the rest of your essay.

Let’s take a look at an example.

Essay introduction example

• Background information
• Thesis statement

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane in 1903 revolutionized the way humans travel and explore the world. Prior to this invention, transportation relied on trains, boats, and cars, which limited the distance and speed of travel. However, the airplane made air travel a reality, allowing people to reach far-off destinations in mere hours. This breakthrough paved the way for modern-day air travel, transforming the world into a smaller, more connected place. In this essay, we will explore the impact of the Wright Brothers’ invention on modern-day travel, including the growth of the aviation industry, increased accessibility of air travel to the general public, and the economic and cultural benefits of air travel.

Body paragraphs

You can persuade your readers and make your thesis statement compelling by providing evidence, examples, and logical reasoning. To write a fool-proof and authoritative essay, you need to provide multiple well-structured, substantial arguments.

Let’s take a look at how this can be done:

1. Write a topic sentence for each paragraph

The beginning of each of your body paragraphs should contain the main arguments that you’d like to address. They should provide ground for your thesis statement and make it well-rounded. You can arrange these arguments in several formats depending on the type of essay you’re writing.

2. Provide the supporting information

The next point of your body paragraph should provide supporting information to back up your main argument. Depending on the type of essay, you can elaborate on your main argument with the help of relevant statistics, key information, examples, or even personal anecdotes.

3. Analyze the supporting information

After providing relevant details and supporting information, it is important to analyze it and link it back to your main argument.

4. Create a smooth transition to the next paragraph

End one body paragraph with a smooth transition to the next. There are many ways in which this can be done, but the most common way is to give a gist of your main argument along with the supporting information with transitory words such as “however” “in addition to” “therefore”.

Here’s an example of a body paragraph.

Essay body paragraph example

• Topic sentence
• Supporting information
• Analysis of the information
• Smooth transition to the next paragraph

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane revolutionized air travel. They achieved the first-ever successful powered flight with the Wright Flyer in 1903, after years of conducting experiments and studying flight principles. Despite their first flight lasting only 12 seconds, it was a significant milestone that paved the way for modern aviation. The Wright Brothers’ success can be attributed to their systematic approach to problem-solving, which included numerous experiments with gliders, the development of a wind tunnel to test their designs, and meticulous analysis and recording of their results. Their dedication and ingenuity forever changed the way we travel, making modern aviation possible.

A powerful concluding statement separates a good essay from a brilliant one. To create a powerful conclusion, you need to start with a strong foundation.

Let’s take a look at how to construct an impactful concluding statement.

1. Restructure your thesis statement

To conclude your essay effectively, don’t just restate your thesis statement. Instead, use what you’ve learned throughout your essay and modify your thesis statement accordingly. This will help you create a conclusion that ties together all of the arguments you’ve presented.

2. Summarize the main points of your essay

The next point of your conclusion consists of a summary of the main arguments of your essay. It is crucial to effectively summarize the gist of your essay into one, well-structured paragraph.

3. Create a lasting impression with your concluding statement

Conclude your essay by including a key takeaway, or a powerful statement that creates a lasting impression on the reader. This can include the broader implications or consequences of your essay topic.

Here’s an example of a concluding paragraph.

Essay conclusion example

• Restated thesis statement
• Summary of the main points
• Broader implications of the thesis statement

The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane forever changed history by paving the way for modern aviation and countless aerospace advancements. Their persistence, innovation, and dedication to problem-solving led to the first successful powered flight in 1903, sparking a revolution in transportation that transformed the world. Today, air travel remains an integral part of our globalized society, highlighting the undeniable impact of the Wright Brothers’ contribution to human civilization.

Types of essays

Most essays are derived from the combination or variation of these four main types of essays . let’s take a closer look at these types.

1. Narrative essay

A narrative essay is a type of writing that involves telling a story, often based on personal experiences. It is a form of creative nonfiction that allows you to use storytelling techniques to convey a message or a theme.

2. Descriptive essay

A descriptive essay aims to provide an immersive experience for the reader by using sensory descriptors. Unlike a narrative essay, which tells a story, a descriptive essay has a narrower scope and focuses on one particular aspect of a story.

3. Argumentative essays

An argumentative essay is a type of essay that aims to persuade the reader to adopt a particular stance based on factual evidence and is one of the most common forms of college essays.

4. Expository essays

An expository essay is a common format used in school and college exams to assess your understanding of a specific topic. The purpose of an expository essay is to present and explore a topic thoroughly without taking any particular stance or expressing personal opinions.

While this article demonstrates what is an essay and describes its types, you may also have other doubts. As experts who provide essay editing and proofreading services , we’re here to help. 

Our team has created a list of resources to clarify any doubts about writing essays. Keep reading to write engaging and well-organized essays!

• How to Write an Essay in 8 Simple Steps
• How to Write an Essay Header
• How to Write an Essay Outline

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an argumentative and an expository essay, what is the difference between a narrative and a descriptive essay, what is an essay format, what is the meaning of essay, what is the purpose of writing an essay.

Found this article helpful?

Leave a Comment: Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Your vs. You’re: When to Use Your and You’re

Your organization needs a technical editor: here’s why, your guide to the best ebook readers in 2024, writing for the web: 7 expert tips for web content writing.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get carefully curated resources about writing, editing, and publishing in the comfort of your inbox.

How to Copyright Your Book?

If you’ve thought about copyrighting your book, you’re on the right path.

© 2024 All rights reserved

• Terms of service
• Privacy policy
• Self Publishing Guide
• Pre-Publishing Steps
• Fiction Writing Tips
• Traditional Publishing
• Academic Writing and Publishing
• Partner with us
• Annual report
• Website content
• Marketing material
• Job Applicant
• Cover letter
• Resource Center
• Case studies

• Dictionaries home
• American English
• Collocations
• German-English
• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Recent additions
• Resources home
• Text Checker

Definition of essay noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.

• 3 essay (in something) ( formal ) an attempt to do something His first essay in politics was a complete disaster.

Other results

Nearby words.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• The four main types of essay | Quick guide with examples

The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples

Published on September 4, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.

Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way. At university level, argumentative essays are the most common type. 

In high school and college, you will also often have to write textual analysis essays, which test your skills in close reading and interpretation.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

Argumentative essays, expository essays, narrative essays, descriptive essays, textual analysis essays, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about types of essays.

An argumentative essay presents an extended, evidence-based argument. It requires a strong thesis statement —a clearly defined stance on your topic. Your aim is to convince the reader of your thesis using evidence (such as quotations ) and analysis.

Argumentative essays test your ability to research and present your own position on a topic. This is the most common type of essay at college level—most papers you write will involve some kind of argumentation.

The essay is divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion:

• The introduction provides your topic and thesis statement
• The body presents your evidence and arguments
• The conclusion summarizes your argument and emphasizes its importance

The example below is a paragraph from the body of an argumentative essay about the effects of the internet on education. Mouse over it to learn more.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a topic. It doesn’t require an original argument, just a balanced and well-organized view of the topic.

Expository essays test your familiarity with a topic and your ability to organize and convey information. They are commonly assigned at high school or in exam questions at college level.

The introduction of an expository essay states your topic and provides some general background, the body presents the details, and the conclusion summarizes the information presented.

A typical body paragraph from an expository essay about the invention of the printing press is shown below. Mouse over it to learn more.

The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

A narrative essay is one that tells a story. This is usually a story about a personal experience you had, but it may also be an imaginative exploration of something you have not experienced.

Narrative essays test your ability to build up a narrative in an engaging, well-structured way. They are much more personal and creative than other kinds of academic writing . Writing a personal statement for an application requires the same skills as a narrative essay.

A narrative essay isn’t strictly divided into introduction, body, and conclusion, but it should still begin by setting up the narrative and finish by expressing the point of the story—what you learned from your experience, or why it made an impression on you.

Mouse over the example below, a short narrative essay responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” to explore its structure.

Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.

Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.

A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.

The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.

A descriptive essay provides a detailed sensory description of something. Like narrative essays, they allow you to be more creative than most academic writing, but they are more tightly focused than narrative essays. You might describe a specific place or object, rather than telling a whole story.

Descriptive essays test your ability to use language creatively, making striking word choices to convey a memorable picture of what you’re describing.

A descriptive essay can be quite loosely structured, though it should usually begin by introducing the object of your description and end by drawing an overall picture of it. The important thing is to use careful word choices and figurative language to create an original description of your object.

Mouse over the example below, a response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” to learn more about descriptive essays.

On Sunday afternoons I like to spend my time in the garden behind my house. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and relax. I am in my small peaceful paradise: the shade of the tree, the feel of the grass on my feet, the gentle activity of the fish in the pond beside me.

My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above. From his perch he can watch over his little kingdom and keep an eye on the neighbours. He does this until the barking of next door’s dog scares him from his post and he bolts for the cat flap to govern from the safety of the kitchen.

With that, I am left alone with the fish, whose whole world is the pond by my feet. The fish explore the pond every day as if for the first time, prodding and inspecting every stone. I sometimes feel the same about sitting here in the garden; I know the place better than anyone, but whenever I return I still feel compelled to pay attention to all its details and novelties—a new bird perched in the tree, the growth of the grass, and the movement of the insects it shelters…

Sitting out in the garden, I feel serene. I feel at home. And yet I always feel there is more to discover. The bounds of my garden may be small, but there is a whole world contained within it, and it is one I will never get tired of inhabiting.

Though every essay type tests your writing skills, some essays also test your ability to read carefully and critically. In a textual analysis essay, you don’t just present information on a topic, but closely analyze a text to explain how it achieves certain effects.

Rhetorical analysis

A rhetorical analysis looks at a persuasive text (e.g. a speech, an essay, a political cartoon) in terms of the rhetorical devices it uses, and evaluates their effectiveness.

The goal is not to state whether you agree with the author’s argument but to look at how they have constructed it.

The introduction of a rhetorical analysis presents the text, some background information, and your thesis statement; the body comprises the analysis itself; and the conclusion wraps up your analysis of the text, emphasizing its relevance to broader concerns.

The example below is from a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech . Mouse over it to learn more.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

Literary analysis

A literary analysis essay presents a close reading of a work of literature—e.g. a poem or novel—to explore the choices made by the author and how they help to convey the text’s theme. It is not simply a book report or a review, but an in-depth interpretation of the text.

Literary analysis looks at things like setting, characters, themes, and figurative language. The goal is to closely analyze what the author conveys and how.

The introduction of a literary analysis essay presents the text and background, and provides your thesis statement; the body consists of close readings of the text with quotations and analysis in support of your argument; and the conclusion emphasizes what your approach tells us about the text.

Mouse over the example below, the introduction to a literary analysis essay on Frankenstein , to learn more.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.

Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”

The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.

Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:

• In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
• In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
• In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 18, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/essay-types/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to write an argumentative essay | examples & tips, how to write an expository essay, how to write an essay outline | guidelines & examples, what is your plagiarism score.

• Daily Crossword
• Word Puzzle
• Word Finder
• Word of the Day
• Synonym of the Day
• Word of the Year
• Language stories
• All featured
• Gender and sexuality
• All pop culture
• Writing hub
• Grammar essentials
• Commonly confused
• All writing tips
• Pop culture
• Writing tips

Advertisement

[ noun es -ey es -ey , e- sey verb e- sey ]

• a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.

a picture essay.

• an effort to perform or accomplish something; attempt.
• Philately. a design for a proposed stamp differing in any way from the design of the stamp as issued.
• Obsolete. a tentative effort; trial; assay.

verb (used with object)

• to try; attempt.
• to put to the test; make trial of.
• a short literary composition dealing with a subject analytically or speculatively
• an attempt or endeavour; effort
• a test or trial
• to attempt or endeavour; try
• to test or try out
• A short piece of writing on one subject, usually presenting the author's own views. Michel de Montaigne , Francis Bacon (see also Bacon ), and Ralph Waldo Emerson are celebrated for their essays.

Other Words From

• es·sayer noun
• prees·say verb (used without object)
• unes·sayed adjective
• well-es·sayed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of essay 1

Example Sentences

As several of my colleagues commented, the result is good enough that it could pass for an essay written by a first-year undergraduate, and even get a pretty decent grade.

GPT-3 also raises concerns about the future of essay writing in the education system.

This little essay helps focus on self-knowledge in what you’re best at, and how you should prioritize your time.

As Steven Feldstein argues in the opening essay, technonationalism plays a part in the strengthening of other autocracies too.

He’s written a collection of essays on civil engineering life titled Bridginess, and to this day he and Lauren go on “bridge dates,” where they enjoy a meal and admire the view of a nearby span.

I think a certain kind of compelling essay has a piece of that.

The current attack on the Jews,” he wrote in a 1937 essay, “targets not just this people of 15 million but mankind as such.

The impulse to interpret seems to me what makes personal essay writing compelling.

To be honest, I think a lot of good essay writing comes out of that.

Someone recently sent me an old Joan Didion essay on self-respect that appeared in Vogue.

There is more of the uplifted forefinger and the reiterated point than I should have allowed myself in an essay.

Consequently he was able to turn in a clear essay upon the subject, which, upon examination, the king found to be free from error.

It is no part of the present essay to attempt to detail the particulars of a code of social legislation.

But angels and ministers of grace defend us from ministers of religion who essay art criticism!

It is fit that the imagination, which is free to go through all things, should essay such excursions.

Related Words

• dissertation

• Literary Terms
• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Write an Essay

I. What is an Essay?

An essay is a form of writing in paragraph form that uses informal language, although it can be written formally. Essays may be written in first-person point of view (I, ours, mine), but third-person (people, he, she) is preferable in most academic essays. Essays do not require research as most academic reports and papers do; however, they should cite any literary works that are used within the paper.

When thinking of essays, we normally think of the five-paragraph essay: Paragraph 1 is the introduction, paragraphs 2-4 are the body covering three main ideas, and paragraph 5 is the conclusion. Sixth and seventh graders may start out with three paragraph essays in order to learn the concepts. However, essays may be longer than five paragraphs. Essays are easier and quicker to read than books, so are a preferred way to express ideas and concepts when bringing them to public attention.

II. Examples of Essays

Many of our most famous Americans have written essays. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson wrote essays about being good citizens and concepts to build the new United States. In the pre-Civil War days of the 1800s, people such as:

• Ralph Waldo Emerson (an author) wrote essays on self-improvement
• Susan B. Anthony wrote on women’s right to vote
• Frederick Douglass wrote on the issue of African Americans’ future in the U.S.

Through each era of American history, well-known figures in areas such as politics, literature, the arts, business, etc., voiced their opinions through short and long essays.

The ultimate persuasive essay that most students learn about and read in social studies is the “Declaration of Independence” by Thomas Jefferson in 1776. Other founding fathers edited and critiqued it, but he drafted the first version. He builds a strong argument by stating his premise (claim) then proceeds to give the evidence in a straightforward manner before coming to his logical conclusion.

III. Types of Essays

A. expository.

Essays written to explore and explain ideas are called expository essays (they expose truths). These will be more formal types of essays usually written in third person, to be more objective. There are many forms, each one having its own organizational pattern.  Cause/Effect essays explain the reason (cause) for something that happens after (effect). Definition essays define an idea or concept. Compare/ Contrast essays will look at two items and show how they are similar (compare) and different (contrast).

b. Persuasive

An argumentative paper presents an idea or concept with the intention of attempting to change a reader’s mind or actions . These may be written in second person, using “you” in order to speak to the reader. This is called a persuasive essay. There will be a premise (claim) followed by evidence to show why you should believe the claim.

c. Narrative

Narrative means story, so narrative essays will illustrate and describe an event of some kind to tell a story. Most times, they will be written in first person. The writer will use descriptive terms, and may have paragraphs that tell a beginning, middle, and end in place of the five paragraphs with introduction, body, and conclusion. However, if there is a lesson to be learned, a five-paragraph may be used to ensure the lesson is shown.

d. Descriptive

The goal of a descriptive essay is to vividly describe an event, item, place, memory, etc. This essay may be written in any point of view, depending on what’s being described. There is a lot of freedom of language in descriptive essays, which can include figurative language, as well.

IV. The Importance of Essays

Essays are an important piece of literature that can be used in a variety of situations. They’re a flexible type of writing, which makes them useful in many settings . History can be traced and understood through essays from theorists, leaders, artists of various arts, and regular citizens of countries throughout the world and time. For students, learning to write essays is also important because as they leave school and enter college and/or the work force, it is vital for them to be able to express themselves well.

V. Examples of Essays in Literature

Sir Francis Bacon was a leading philosopher who influenced the colonies in the 1600s. Many of America’s founding fathers also favored his philosophies toward government. Bacon wrote an essay titled “Of Nobility” in 1601 , in which he defines the concept of nobility in relation to people and government. The following is the introduction of his definition essay. Note the use of “we” for his point of view, which includes his readers while still sounding rather formal.

 “We will speak of nobility, first as a portion of an estate, then as a condition of particular persons. A monarchy, where there is no nobility at all, is ever a pure and absolute tyranny; as that of the Turks. For nobility attempers sovereignty, and draws the eyes of the people, somewhat aside from the line royal. But for democracies, they need it not; and they are commonly more quiet, and less subject to sedition, than where there are stirps of nobles. For men’s eyes are upon the business, and not upon the persons; or if upon the persons, it is for the business’ sake, as fittest, and not for flags and pedigree. We see the Switzers last well, notwithstanding their diversity of religion, and of cantons. For utility is their bond, and not respects. The united provinces of the Low Countries, in their government, excel; for where there is an equality, the consultations are more indifferent, and the payments and tributes, more cheerful. A great and potent nobility, addeth majesty to a monarch, but diminisheth power; and putteth life and spirit into the people, but presseth their fortune. It is well, when nobles are not too great for sovereignty nor for justice; and yet maintained in that height, as the insolency of inferiors may be broken upon them, before it come on too fast upon the majesty of kings. A numerous nobility causeth poverty, and inconvenience in a state; for it is a surcharge of expense; and besides, it being of necessity, that many of the nobility fall, in time, to be weak in fortune, it maketh a kind of disproportion, between honor and means.”

A popular modern day essayist is Barbara Kingsolver. Her book, “Small Wonders,” is full of essays describing her thoughts and experiences both at home and around the world. Her intention with her essays is to make her readers think about various social issues, mainly concerning the environment and how people treat each other. The link below is to an essay in which a child in an Iranian village she visited had disappeared. The boy was found three days later in a bear’s cave, alive and well, protected by a mother bear. She uses a narrative essay to tell her story.

VI. Examples of Essays in Pop Culture

Many rap songs are basically mini essays, expressing outrage and sorrow over social issues today, just as the 1960s had a lot of anti-war and peace songs that told stories and described social problems of that time. Any good song writer will pay attention to current events and express ideas in a creative way.

A well-known essay written in 1997 by Mary Schmich, a columnist with the Chicago Tribune, was made into a popular video on MTV by Baz Luhrmann. Schmich’s thesis is to wear sunscreen, but she adds strong advice with supporting details throughout the body of her essay, reverting to her thesis in the conclusion.

VII. Related Terms

Research paper.

Research papers follow the same basic format of an essay. They have an introductory paragraph, the body, and a conclusion. However, research papers have strict guidelines regarding a title page, header, sub-headers within the paper, citations throughout and in a bibliography page, the size and type of font, and margins. The purpose of a research paper is to explore an area by looking at previous research. Some research papers may include additional studies by the author, which would then be compared to previous research. The point of view is an objective third-person. No opinion is allowed. Any claims must be backed up with research.

VIII. Conclusion

Students dread hearing that they are going to write an essay, but essays are one of the easiest and most relaxed types of writing they will learn. Mastering the essay will make research papers much easier, since they have the same basic structure. Many historical events can be better understood through essays written by people involved in those times. The continuation of essays in today’s times will allow future historians to understand how our new world of technology and information impacted us.

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus
• Mein Profil

Bedeutung von essay auf Englisch

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

• I want to finish off this essay before I go to bed .
• His essay was full of spelling errors .
• Have you given that essay in yet ?
• Have you handed in your history essay yet ?
• I'd like to discuss the first point in your essay.
• boilerplate
• composition
• corresponding author
• dissertation
• essay question
• peer review
• go all out idiom
• go down swinging/fighting idiom
• go for it idiom
• go for someone
• go out of your way idiom
• smarten (someone/something) up
• smarten up your act idiom
• square the circle idiom
• step on the gas idiom
• stick at something

essay | Amerikanisches Wörterbuch

Beispiele von essay, kollokationen mit essay.

Diese Wörter werden oft im Zusammenhang mit essay benutzt.

Klicken Sie auf eine Kollokation um mehr Beispiele zu sehen.

Übersetzungen von essay

Holen Sie sich eine schnelle, kostenlose Übersetzung!

Durchsuchen

Das Wort des Tages

detective work

the activity of searching for information about something, often over a long period

A finger in every pie: phrases with the word ‘finger’

Neue Wörter

Lernen Sie mehr mithilfe von +Plus

• Neu und empfohlen {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitionen Klare Erklärungen von natürlichem geschriebenem und gesprochenem Englisch Englisch Lernwörterbuch Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammatik und Thesaurus Erläuterungen zur Verwendung des natürlichen geschriebenen und gesprochenen Englisch Grammatik Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• Englisch–Chinesisch (vereinfacht) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• Englisch–Chinesisch (traditionell) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• Englisch–Niederländisch Niederländisch–Englisch
• Englisch–Französisch Französisch–Englisch
• Englisch–Deutsch Deutsch–Englisch
• Englisch–Indonesisch Indonesisch–Englisch
• Englisch–Italienisch Italienisch–Englisch
• Englisch–Japanisch Japanisch–Englisch
• Englisch–Norwegisch Norwegisch–Englisch
• Englisch–Polnisch Polnisch–Englisch
• Englisch–Portugiesisch Portugiesisch–Englisch
• Englisch–Spanisch Spanisch–Englisch
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Wortlisten
• Englisch    Noun Verb
• Amerikanisch    Noun
• Kollokationen
• Translations
• Alle Übersetzungen

To add essay to a word list please sign up or log in.

Fügen Sie essay zu einer der folgenden Listen hinzu oder erstellen Sie eine neue.

{{message}}

Etwas ist schief gelaufen.

Beim senden Ihres Reports ist ein Problem aufgefallen