Page 200 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

examples and details and become a writer who delivers on your
promises.

Essay Development Technique 1:

Supporting with Specific Examples

Using examples is one of the best ways to get a point across because

examples provide a concrete illustration of your point. If you say your

father is sentimental, your reader will get the general idea. If you say
he gets teary-eyed over Hallmark commercials, you are giving specific

support to the general idea. Examples, then, are specific illustrations,

exact instances. Using an example is like making a word or phrase

more specific, but on a larger scale, since examples can range in

length from a single word to multiple paragraphs. With an example,
you are usually giving your reader both the general idea and a specific

illustration of that idea.

An Example in a Word or Phrase

Examples expressed in a word or phrase are usually used when the

author wants to illustrate an idea briefly and then move on. Look at the

short underlined examples in the following paragraph.

Short Examples in a Paragraph