How to Write and Teach Compositions (Step-by-Step Guide with Examples)

A. What is a Composition?

A composition is a structured piece of writing where ideas are arranged logically to communicate meaning clearly, such as:

• paragraph writing

• descriptive essay

• narrative essay

• expository essay

• 
  argumentative essay

• letter/email/article/speech (functional compositions)

Key shift: Students don’t fail because they “can’t write.” They fail because they’re asked to write without a pathway.

B. The 7-Step Composition Writing Process (Teacher-Friendly)

Step 1: Understand the Task (Purpose + Audience + Format)

Teach students to ask 3 questions before writing:

1. Why am I writing? (to describe / narrate / explain / convince)

2. For whom? (friend / teacher / public)

3. In what form? (essay / letter / article)

Example prompt: Write a composition on “A Rainy Day.”

• Purpose: describe (sensory + scene)

• Audience: teacher

• Form: descriptive essay

Classroom mini-activity (2 minutes):
Give 3 prompts. Students label each as: Narrative / Descriptive / Expository / Argumentative.

Step 2: Generate Ideas (Brainstorming Tools)

Train students to “collect fuel” before writing.

Tools you can teach:

• 5W1H: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How

• Mind-map / Spider map

• Senses chart (for descriptive): see, hear, smell, taste, touch

• Timeline (for narrative)

Example (A Rainy Day – quick brainstorm):

• See: dark clouds, puddles, umbrellas

• Hear: thunder, raindrops, splashing

• Smell: wet soil (petrichor)

• Feel: cool breeze, wet shoes

• Events: sudden rain → rushed home → hot tea → rainbow

Step 3: Create an Outline (Organisation First, Language Later)

Students often write messy because they skip planning.

Basic essay outline (3–5 paragraphs)

1. Introduction (hook + topic + brief direction)

2. Body Paragraph 1 (Point + support)

3. Body Paragraph 2 (Point + support)

4. Body Paragraph 3 (Point + support) (optional)

5. Conclusion (summary + final thought)

Example outline (A Rainy Day):

• Intro: sudden change in weather, mood setting

• BP1: how the rain started + scene

• BP2: what people did + my experience

• BP3: after rain (freshness/rainbow)

• Conclusion: why I enjoyed it / learning from it

Step 4: Write the First Draft (Fast Draft Rule)

Tell students: “Draft 1 is for ideas, not for perfection.”
If they edit every sentence while drafting, they lose flow.

Teach the “PEEL/TEEL” paragraph format for body paragraphs

• P/T: Point/Topic sentence

• E: Explanation

• E: Example/Evidence

• L: Link back to main idea

Body paragraph example (PEEL):
Point: The rain transformed the street into a lively scene.
Explain: People rushed to shops and shelters while vehicles slowed down.
Example: I saw children jumping in puddles as their mothers pulled them away, laughing and scolding at the same time.
Link: This showed how rain changes not only the weather but also people’s behaviour.

Step 5: Revise (Meaning + Organisation)

Revision is not “correcting spelling.” It is improving writing.

Teach students a simple revision checklist:

• Unity: Does every paragraph stick to one idea?

• Order: Is the sequence logical?

• Support: Do I have examples, not just statements?

• Clarity: Can the reader understand without guessing?

Before → After (Revision example):

• Before: Rain was good. It was nice. People were happy.

• After: The rain cooled the air and refreshed the neighbourhood, and even tired faces looked relaxed under the umbrellas.

Step 6: Edit (Grammar + Vocabulary + Mechanics)

Now polish language:

• tense consistency

• subject–verb agreement

• punctuation

• spelling

• word choice

Teach “Power Verbs + Specific Nouns”

• weak: went, got, nice, good, very

• stronger: rushed, grabbed, delightful, refreshing, extremely (use carefully)

Example upgrade:

• Weak: It was very nice weather.

• Strong: The cool breeze made the weather pleasantly refreshing.

Step 7: Final Draft + Title + Presentation

Teach finishing skills:

• neat handwriting / formatting

• paragraph indentation

• appropriate title (not “Composition” 😄)

Good title examples:

• Rain: The City’s Quick Makeover

• A Rainy Day to Remember

C. How to Teach Composition Writing in the Classroom (Practical Teaching Plan)

Phase 1: Model (Teacher shows)

• Teacher writes a short composition in front of class using the steps.

• Think aloud: “Now I need a topic sentence… now I add an example…”

Micro-model: Write just one ideal paragraph first.

Phase 2: Joint Construction (Teacher + students together)

• As a class, create:

  • brainstorm list on board

  • outline together

  • one paragraph together

Teacher prompts:

• “What should our topic sentence be?”

• “Give one example from real life.”

• “Which linking word fits here: however / therefore / meanwhile?”

Phase 3: Guided Practice (Students write with supports)

Give scaffolds:

• outline template

• word bank

• sentence starters

Sentence starters (helpful for beginners)

• Introduction: It was a day when… / One event I cannot forget is…

• Adding points: Firstly… Moreover… In addition…

• Example: For example… For instance…

• Conclusion: In short… Therefore… Finally…

Phase 4: Independent Writing (Students write alone)

Students write full composition.
Teacher circulates and gives mini-feedback: 1 strength + 1 improvement.

Phase 5: Feedback + Rewriting (Most important!)

Writing improves when students rewrite.

• peer feedback (2 stars and a wish)

• teacher feedback (simple rubric)

• final improvement draft

D. Composition Types + One Mini Example Each (ready to teach)

1) Narrative (story)

Mini example opening:
Last Sunday began like any other day, but by evening it became the most surprising day of my life.

2) Descriptive (picture with words)

Mini example line:
The marketplace smelled of spices, sounded like bargaining, and looked like a festival of colours.

3) Expository (explain)

Mini example line:
Healthy eating means choosing food that provides balanced nutrients for energy, growth, and immunity.

4) Argumentative (opinion + reasons)

Mini example line:
Students should wear uniforms because it reduces distraction and creates equality in the classroom.

E. Assessment: Simple Composition Rubric (Teacher Tool)

Criteria	What you check	Marks idea
Content	relevance, depth, examples	/5
Organisation	intro-body-conclusion, paragraph unity	/5
Language	grammar, vocabulary, sentence variety	/5
Mechanics	spelling, punctuation, neatness	/5

F. Fully Worked Example (Short Composition for Demonstration)

Topic: A Rainy Day (approx. 180–220 words)

A rainy day feels like the sky is writing poetry on the earth. Last week, the morning was hot and dusty, but suddenly dark clouds covered the sun. Within minutes, raindrops started tapping on rooftops and the roads turned shiny.

People rushed to tea stalls and shops to save themselves, while some children happily jumped into puddles without any fear. The smell of wet soil spread everywhere and the cool breeze made the air pleasant. I stood near my window and watched the trees dancing in the wind as thunder rolled in the background.

After an hour, the rain slowed down and the neighbourhood looked fresh and clean. A soft rainbow appeared in the sky, and everyone seemed calmer than before. That rainy day did not only change the weather; it refreshed the mood of the whole place.