Effective written communication is an essential skill in many professions, enabling professionals to articulate and elucidate their ideas effectively. One of the most common ways to achieve this is through essays, which provide a structured framework for clear, focused, and organized expression. Understanding these different essay types can enhance your writing proficiency and enable you to convey your thoughts more precisely. In this article, we will define essays and provide a list of commonly encountered essay types to help you choose the most appropriate approach for your writing needs.

What are essays?

Essays, as a form of long-form written communication, serve the purpose of either persuading or informing the reader about a specific topic. Selecting the appropriate type of essay is crucial to effectively convey your message to your audience. When you align your choice of essay type with your subject matter, you can tailor your writing to your readers’ needs and maintain a structured approach.
In certain situations, such as school assignments or job applications, the type of essay you write may be predetermined. However, there are instances when you have the flexibility to choose the essay yourself. Your selection often depends on your specific objectives. For instance, if your goal is to instruct the reader on how to perform a task, you might opt for a process essay, which systematically breaks down the instructions into individual steps. Alternatively, you might use an essay to persuade readers to adopt your viewpoint, explore abstract concepts, or evoke emotional responses. Your choice of essay type should align with your intended outcome.

Types of Essays

Narrative essays

A narrative essay is a type of essay that tells a story, often about a personal experience, from the author’s perspective. It is a way of testing the writer’s ability to express their experiences in a creative and compelling way and to follow an appropriate narrative structure. Narrative essays are often assigned in high school or in composition classes at university, and they allow the writer to get personal and creative, unlike most academic writing. 

The goal of a narrative essay is to use established storytelling techniques, like theme, conflict, and irony, in a uniquely personal way. The essay should have a clear beginning, middle, and end and should be written from a clear point of view. The language used in a narrative essay should be carefully chosen to evoke emotions and create a connection between the reader and the author’s experiences.

Descriptive essays
A descriptive essay is a type of essay that asks the writer to describe something in detail, such as an object, person, place, experience, emotion, or situation. The goal of a descriptive essay is to create a vivid and detailed picture in the reader’s mind using sensory details and figurative language. The writer should aim to appeal to the reader’s senses, emotions, and imagination and to create a strong impression of the subject being described. 

A descriptive essay should have a clear and concise thesis statement, and the body paragraphs should be organized around a central idea or theme. The language used in a descriptive essay should be carefully chosen to create a specific mood or tone and to convey the writer’s emotions and feelings about the subject. The essay should be written in a way that engages the reader and makes them feel as if they are experiencing the subject themselves.

Expository essays
An expository essay is a type of essay that requires the writer to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner. The purpose of an expository essay is to inform, explain, or describe something to the reader without expressing the writer’s opinion or persuading the reader to take a particular stance. 

Expository essays can take many forms, including compare and contrast, process essays, analyzing cause and effect, and classification essays. The structure of an expository essay typically includes an introduction, body paragraphs that support and expand upon the points made in the introduction, and a conclusion that reiterates those points and underscores the thesis. The language used in an expository essay should be clear, concise, and objective, and the essay should be well organized and easy to follow.


Definition essays
A definition essay is a type of essay that aims to define a term, concept, or idea in a clear and concise manner. The writer may start with a simple dictionary definition, but the essay should ultimately contain an extended definition that goes beyond the basic definition. The essay should be structured around the goal of defining the term and may use various techniques to impress upon the reader the meaning of the term, such as analysis, classification, comparison, and negation. 

The language used in a definition essay should be clear and objective, and the essay should be well organized and easy to follow. A definition essay should include a specific and focused definition, a main point, and one of many patterns of development, such as narration, description, illustration, process analysis, comparison and contrast, classification and division, cause and effect, and argumentative styles.

Process essays
A process essay is a type of essay that explains how to do something or how something works by giving a step-by-step explanation. The essay should be structured around the goal of providing the reader with directions or guidance. The language used in a process essay should be clear and concise, and the essay should be well organized and easy to follow. The essay should start with an introduction that explains the process being analyzed and the point the writer wants to make about it. 

The body paragraphs should present the essential steps in enough detail and logical order that the readers could perform the steps themselves or at least understand how something works. The conclusion should reiterate the thesis and summarize the steps presented in the essay. A process essay should be more than a mere set of instructions, and it should be smooth, not choppy. The essay should anticipate possible misunderstandings on the reader’s part and, if necessary, tell the reader what not to do. The essay should provide reasons why certain steps are performed, even if they seem extreme or pointless.


Compare and contrast essays

A compare and contrast essay is a type of essay that analyzes the similarities and differences between two or more subjects. The purpose of a compare and contrast essay is to show what separates and unites related things or concepts, particularly if the subjects are often confused for each other or unjustly lumped together. Unlike argumentative or persuasive essays, compare and contrast essays deal with multiple topics instead of focusing on one. The essay should be structured around a clear thesis statement that states the two subjects that are being compared, contrasted, or both, and the reason for doing so. 

The body paragraphs should list the similarities and differences of the subjects, and the largest section of the essay should be dedicated to this. The conclusion should wrap up and summarize the points made in the essay. The language used in a compare and contrast essay should be clear and concise, and the essay should be well-organized and easy to follow. A good compare and contrast essay should choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way, and illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities. The essay should provide useful knowledge to the reader and make meaningful arguments about the subjects.

Argumentative essays

An argumentative essay is a type of essay that requires the writer to investigate a topic, collect, generate, and evaluate evidence, and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner. The purpose of an argumentative essay is to persuade the reader to agree with the argument being made. The essay should be structured around a clear thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay. The body paragraphs should present the evidence and reasoning that supports the thesis, and should also consider and explain differing points of view regarding the topic. 

The conclusion should reiterate the thesis and summarize the points made in the essay. The language used in an argumentative essay should be clear, concise, and objective, and the essay should be well-organized and easy to follow. A good argumentative essay should use facts and evidence to support the argument, rather than just the author’s thoughts and opinions. The essay should anticipate possible counterarguments and address them in a respectful and convincing manner. The essay should also be well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current.

Persuasive essays

A persuasive essay is a type of essay that aims to persuade the reader to agree with the writer’s point of view on a particular topic. The essay should be structured around a clear thesis statement that presents the writer’s argument and position on the topic. The body paragraphs should present evidence and reasoning that supports the thesis and should also consider and explain differing points of view regarding the topic.

The conclusion should reiterate the thesis and summarize the points made in the essay. The language used in a persuasive essay should be clear, concise, and objective, and the essay should be well organized and easy to follow. A good persuasive essay should use facts, evidence, and logical reasoning to support the argument and should anticipate and address possible counterarguments in a respectful and convincing manner. The essay should also be well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current.

Cause and effect essays

A cause and effect essay is a type of essay that explores how an event or situation came into being (the cause) and what happens or transpires because of that event or situation (the effect). The purpose of a cause and effect essay is to educate the reader about the relationships between specific causes and effects. The essay should be structured around a clear thesis statement that presents the writer’s argument and position on the topic. The body paragraphs should present the causes and effects of the topic, and should also consider and explain differing points of view regarding the topic. 

The conclusion should reiterate the thesis and summarize the points made in the essay. The language used in a cause and effect essay should be clear, concise, and objective, and the essay should be well-organized and easy to follow. A good cause and effect essay should use facts, evidence, and logical reasoning to support the argument, and should anticipate and address possible counterarguments in a respectful and convincing manner.