Title (centered or on the left) (all words are capitalized, except articles and prepositions) (The title tells the reader what you are going to say.)
Introduction (first paragraph, indented five spaces) (The introduction tells the reader what you are going to say and gives a quick list of the topics you are going to cover.)
Body (several paragraphs, each indented five spaces) (The body has one paragraph for each of the topics that you listed in the introduction. Each paragraph begins with the topic sentence. The rest of the paragraph explains or proves the topic sentence.)
Conclusion (last paragraph, indented five spaces) (The conclusion repeats the introduction.)
Example of a basic essay: (It would pass ESL097, maybe not ESL098.)
Mass Transportation in New York Is Fast and Convenient Mass transportation is very fast, cheap and convenient in New York City. The subways take you almost anywhere you want to go very quickly. Buses run very often and go places that subways don't. The MTA lets you change between buses and subways for free. Subways take you anywhere you want to go very quickly. They don't get stuck in traffic like taxis and buses. They go almost everywhere inside the five boroughs. Buses run very often and go places that subways don't. They go to neighborhoods that don't have subway service, especially in eastern Queens and on Staten Island. The MTA lets you change between buses and subways for free. The fare of $1.50 is very cheap. You can go from the Bronx to Rockaway Beach on the subway, or you can go from southern Staten Island to Jamaica, Queens with a subway and bus combination. In either case, the fare is just $1.50. In conclusion, mass transportation is very fast, cheap and convenient in New York City. I like it very much. (172 words) The essay on page one is all right for children. When students are learning to write for the first time, we often give them