How to Write an Essay in English

Before we get out our pens and paper, it’s important to understand the basic structure of an essay. In English, most essays follow a simple format: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction grabs the reader’s attention and introduces the main idea or topic. The body contains the main points and supporting details, and the conclusion wraps everything up, leaving a strong final impression.

This structure helps students organize their thoughts and present their ideas clearly. For ESL learners, breaking the essay into these three parts makes the process less overwhelming. It’s also helpful for parents to explain that each part of the essay has a specific purpose. For example, the introduction sets the tone and grabs attention, while the body provides details and examples to support the main idea.

In the next steps, we’ll walk through the process of writing an essay, starting with brainstorming and organizing ideas, then drafting each section of the essay, and finally editing the final version. These steps will help your child feel confident and develop their writing skills one step at a time. 

Brainstorming Ideas

The first step in writing an essay is brainstorming ideas. Encourage your child to think about the topic and jot down any ideas that come to mind. This is a creative stage, so there are no wrong answers. 

For example, if the essay topic is “My Favorite Season,” they could list reasons why they love summer, like playing outside, going to the beach, or eating ice cream.

Using tools like mind maps or lists can make brainstorming easier and more organized. A mind map lets your child start with the main idea in the center and branch out with related thoughts, while a list helps them organize their ideas in a simple, linear way. 

Creating an Outline

Once your child has ideas, help them turn those thoughts into an outline. An outline is like a roadmap for their essay, showing what to include in the introduction, body, and conclusion. Teach them to start with a simple plan by writing a topic sentence for each paragraph and adding supporting details.

For example, if the essay is about “My Favorite Season,” the outline could look like this:

Introduction: Introduce the topic and say why summer is their favorite season.

Body Paragraph 1: Talk about playing outside in the summer.

Body Paragraph 2: Describe going to the beach.

Body Paragraph 3: Share why eating ice cream in the summer is special.

Conclusion: Summarize the reasons and end with a positive statement about summer.

Writing the Draft

Now it’s time for your child to start writing their essay. Remind them that the first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. The goal is to get their ideas down on paper without worrying too much about grammar or spelling. 

For instance, in a paragraph about playing outside in the summer, they could write about activities like riding bikes, playing soccer, or having picnics. You can also remind them to connect their sentences with simple words like “and,” “but,” or “because” to improve flow. 

Reassure your child that mistakes are part of the process and can be fixed later.

Revising and Editing

After the draft is complete, it’s time to revise and edit. This step helps improve the essay and make it polished. Encourage your child to review their work for grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. It can be helpful to read the essay together, checking if the ideas are clear and flow well from one paragraph to the next.

For example, if a sentence is too long or confusing, you can suggest breaking it into two shorter sentences. If they misspelled a word, help them correct it while explaining the proper spelling. This step is also a great opportunity to praise their efforts and show them how small changes can make their writing stronger. 

Your support and encouragement mean a lot as your child works through writing their essay. Focus on providing feedback that praises their effort and progress rather than just pointing out mistakes. For example, you can say, “I really like how you explained why you enjoy summer,” or “Great job organizing your ideas in the outline.” 

You can also introduce simple resources like grammar apps or online tools that can help with corrections. Tools such as Grammarly or Google Docs’ spell check feature can help your child catch spelling or grammar mistakes. 

Encourage regular practice with short writing tasks, like writing about their day or describing their favorite activity. These small exercises help build writing skills over time and make the process feel less overwhelming. The more they write, the more comfortable they will become with expressing their ideas in English.

Writing essays in English is an important skill that helps your child improve their language abilities. By following a simple process—brainstorming ideas, creating an outline, writing a draft, and revising—you can support your child through each step. Your encouragement and positive feedback will help build their confidence, and regular practice will make essay writing easier over time!