If you want to write an expository essay but aren't sure where to begin, here are twenty brand new prompts to get you started.
What is an Expository Essay?
Expository essays help readers gain a deeper understanding of a topic. When you're writing this type of essay, your goal is to inform, describe, or explain the topic in an objective, factual, and balanced way.
Learning how to write expository essays doesn’t just improve your academic writing; it sharpens your entire writing skillset by teaching you to be clear, concise, and organized.
Want to learn more about how to write an expository essay? Check out our guide here.
20 Expository Essay Writing Prompts
- Explain why humans dream.
- Describe the reasons why people procrastinate.
- Explain how social media algorithms shape users' thoughts and opinions.
- Describe what “third places” are and why they matter to communities.
- Explain one invention that transformed the world and how it did so.
- Describe how a traditional dish reflects the history and culture of its country.
- Explain how the fashion of a particular decade reflects that society’s values.
- Describe the life cycle of a star from birth to death.
- Explain how experiencing failure can contribute to personal growth.
- Describe strategies people can use to build lasting habits.
- Explain what research says about what makes people genuinely happy.
- Describe the cognitive and emotional benefits of reading fiction.
- Explain how music affects listeners' emotions.
- Describe what the “Sunday Scaries” are and why many people feel them.
- Explain why social situations sometimes make people feel awkward.
- Describe the biological reason humans blush.
- Explain why people sometimes laugh at inappropriate moments.
- Describe what déjà vu is and the theories about why it happens.
- Explain why nostalgia feels pleasant to most people.
- Explain why plot twists captivate readers and viewers.
Write an Expository Essay Today
Whether you’re trying something new or jump-starting your creativity, we hope these prompts will help you begin your next expository essay!
Have you ever written an expository essay before? Tell us about it in the comments!
PRACTICE
Set the timer for fifteen minutes, then use one of the writing prompts above to start your own expository essay.
When you're finished, share your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop, and remember to leave feedback to a few other writers.
Not a member yet? Join us here.
Happy writing!
Elizabeth Nettleton is an author and editor currently based in Oxfordshire, England. An avid reader and writer since childhood, she was once so engrossed in her book that she ran into a lamppost.
There is nothing Elizabeth loves more than magic and getting lost in other worlds (except for her family, friends, and pets, of course!), so she primarily writes fantasy, sci-fi, and horror. When she's not reading or writing, you can find her playing with her kids, daydreaming, or trying not to die in a video game.
You can learn more about Elizabeth's projects on her website, or say hello to her on X here.
thank you!!!!