In today’s world, one of the most significant challenges students face in essay writing is how to increase word count. This claim is especially valid when you have to write a two-thousand-word essay within a short deadline. There are several ways to lengthen an essay. However, doing it incorrectly can make you lose marks or ruin the essay.
This article will give you a practical guide on how to lengthen your essay without fluff, unnecessary additions, or repetitions. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Make an outline
Learning how to pad out an essay is not a magical endeavor, and you do not need to be an expert at the subject matter before you can achieve it. The first step is to outline the points you wish to write about in the essay. The outline typically contains the introduction, the essay’s body, and the conclusion. However, the body must be divided into paragraphs or subheadings.
Make a list of the major points in the subheadings or paragraphs that will form the bulk of your outline. As you develop the essay, all you need to do is write more about the major points.
For example, if you were asked to write a 1,000-word essay on the adverse effects of smoking on human health, your outline could look like this:
- Introduction (100 words)
- Substances that people smoke (100 words)
- Social effects of smoking (200 words)
- Physical effects of smoking (200 words)
- Mental effects of smoking (200 words)
- Other effects of tobacco, including any positive perspective (100 words)
- Conclusion (100 words)
Craft your introduction and conclusion well
Another practical way to learn how to lengthen an essay with words is to make your introductory paragraph catchy and attention-grabbing. You can start with a quote or strong claim, narrate a story, or ask a thought-provoking rhetorical question. Be moderate with words in your introduction and conclusion, as it’s a great way to reel your readers into the essay. It also helps you to add more bulk to your essay and allows you to build the content in the long run.
Do adequate and smart research
The most important prerequisite to writing a long essay without fluff is a wide knowledge base. Getting this knowledge base comes with doing adequate research on the subject matter. You’ll likely need help to write extensively on a topic you know. Hence, read from multiple sources and harmonize the points to make your outline.
Employ the use of smart writing tools
There are myriads of smart writing tools out there that will not only help you achieve your desired word count but will also teach you how to lengthen an essay effortlessly. Some of these tools include paraphrasing software and grammar checkers. Running your essay through these tools can help you increase your word count efficiently and teach you how to add more words to an essay.
Do an extensive review
Before you ask anyone how to lengthen my essay, ensure you comprehensively review all I’ve written. Going over what you’ve written often allows you to see a mistake and places to add more words or points. Rather than looking for phrases to lengthen an essay, doing good proofreading will open your mind to loopholes and areas that need to be explained.
Conclusion
Learning how to add more words to an essay requires a multidimensional approach. It would help if you did not hasten to use fluffy words to lengthen an essay but rather employ these strategies, which will make you better as you progress in your writing career. Put great concern into making your essay a great read, not just fulfilling the word count. This is because the final draft will show your knowledge of the subject matter and how much effort you put into the process.