Question

What method of paragraph development does the writer use in the paragraph below (i.e. narration, exposition, description)? Defend your answer by describing how the paragraph is structured. Use the lesson explanations of narrative, descriptive, and expository paragraph structure to guide your answer.

Cook an omelet in just a few easy steps. Begin to prepare the omelet mixture by blending two eggs and a 1/4 cup of milk until smooth. Next, set the temperature of a stovetop burner to medium-high and melt enough butter in a skillet to evenly coat the bottom and sides of the cooking surface. When the butter has just begun to brown, pour in the egg mixture. Allow the mixture to cook until it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Gently slide a spatula underneath the omelet at various points to free it from the pan. When the middle of the omelet is no longer runny, turn off the heat and allow the omelet to further solidify. Add your favorite ingredients--fresh tomatoes, cheese, and basil are recommended--and fold the omelet in half. If you know what you're doing, the whole process gives you a tasty breakfast in less than fifteen minutes.


WRITER

Answer 1

This paragraph is expository — specifically a process (instructional) paragraph.

How it’s structured (using the lesson definitions):
- Expository paragraphs inform or instruct; one common pattern is a process/sequence that tells readers how to do something. The paragraph’s opening sentence, “Cook an omelet in just a few easy steps,” states the purpose and signals instruction.
- The supporting sentences are arranged in chronological, step-by-step order (Begin … Next … When … Gently … When … turn off … Add … fold), which is the hallmark of a process/sequence structure.
- The verbs are mostly imperatives/instructions (“Begin,” “set,” “melt,” “pour,” “allow,” “slide,” “turn off,” “add,” “fold”), showing it’s giving directions rather than telling a story or painting an image.
- The paragraph ends with a brief summary/result (“the whole process gives you a tasty breakfast in less than fifteen minutes”), which is typical of instructional expository writing.

Why it is not narrative or descriptive:
- It does not tell a story with characters, conflict, and events unfolding for dramatic effect, so it is not narrative.
- It provides functional, procedural detail rather than sensory, image-focused language intended to evoke scenes or feelings, so it is not descriptive.

Therefore, the paragraph fits the expository/process pattern.