A five paragraph essay format can be used when a student wants to put forth an opinion or argument about a piece of literature. For example, a student could write about why a character behaves a certain way in a story or provide three examples of a particular type of literary element a writer uses in his work on a regular basis. In the latter case, the student can use the examples to bolster his argument that the writer uses that literary element for a particular persuasive or impacting purpose.
A writer can use a five paragraph essay format to state her opinion about a particular social subject. The three body paragraphs can then be used to provide evidence and support for her thesis statement in the first paragraph. For example, if a writer feels that corporal punishment should not be used in schools, she could provide three reasons or facts to support her argument in the body of the essay. She could then close with a summary of her argument and provide a connection between her argument and the wider issue.
Persuasive topics in general can be developed in a five paragraph essay format. Whenever a writer wants to convince his audience that he has the best solution to a problem or to act on a certain issue, a five paragraph essay provides a clear-cut structure for him to voice his thoughts. Even if a writer wants to persuade his audience to do something crazy, such as walk backwards for an entire day, a five paragraph essay can help him lay out his arguments in a logical manner that is easy to understand.
A writer can use the five paragraph essay to cover just about any topic. The most important element in choosing which essay topic to write about is to choose one that you know about inside and out. Your arguments have to be effective and support what you have set forth as your thesis. The supporting paragraphs should flow from one to the next. If you want to write an essay about your grandfather's personality, for instance, and provide examples in the essay, you should choose another topic if you never met your grandfather or do not have family members that can tell you stories about him.